chequered

British

/ ˈtʃɛkəd /

adjective

marked by fluctuations of fortune (esp in the phrase a chequered career )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They were behind the decision to bring in Tudor, the combustible Croatian with a chequered coaching career and no Premier League experience, to succeed the sacked Thomas Frank.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Tudor's unique selling point in a chequered, nomadic coach career was supposedly his ability to provide an instant spark of impact.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

"After a recently chequered past, the Burberry brand is regaining momentum," said Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

Wood, one of the fastest bowlers to play Test cricket for England, has a chequered injury history.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025

O dark, musty platoon huts, with the iron bedsteads, the chequered bedding, the lockers and the stools!

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023