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  • double check
    double check
    noun
    a simultaneous check by two pieces in which the moving of one piece to give check also results in discovering a check by another piece.
  • double-check
    double-check
    verb (used with or without object)
    to check twice or again; recheck.
Synonyms

double check

1 American  

noun

Chess.
  1. a simultaneous check by two pieces in which the moving of one piece to give check also results in discovering a check by another piece.


double-check 2 American  
[duhb-uhl-chek] / ˈdʌb əlˈtʃɛk /

verb (used with or without object)

double-checks, present (3rd person singular) double-checked, past participle, past double-checking present participle
  1. to check twice or again; recheck.


noun

double-checks plural
  1. a second examination or verification to assure accuracy, proper functioning, or the like.

double-check British  

verb

  1. to check twice or again; verify

"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

noun

  1. a second examination or verification

  2. chess a simultaneous check from two pieces brought about by moving one piece to give check and thereby revealing a second check from another piece

"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

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of double-check

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

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.

See Examples For:

Definitely double check with your host to make sure the listing is up to date.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 26, 2026

Moreover, workers may also have outsize expectations around AI’s automation capabilities, with many of the current tools still requiring workers to double check the completed work for errors.

From Barron's Mar. 27, 2026

If in doubt, call your insurance company to double check.

From MarketWatch Dec. 10, 2025

But double check that the expiry date on your passport is dated at least three months after the day you plan to leave.

From BBC Jun. 28, 2025

I also make a pencil mark in the book at a stopping point and even read back a paragraph to double check what I last entered.

From The Project Gutenberg FAQ 2002 by Tinsley, Jim

It means bad AI output compounded by lazy humans who can’t be troubled to double-check.

From Barron's May 6, 2026

Olson said he is now more inclined to double-check AI output after learning Gemini had invented the entire exchange.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 14, 2026

He thinks we should have them done somewhere else to double-check.

From MarketWatch Mar. 27, 2026

Sasha-Jay is urging people to "be cautious about who you interact with online", requesting users to keep profiles private, double-check accounts, report fake profiles immediately and protect personal information.

From BBC Mar. 11, 2026

“But”—Mr. Guareschi leaned toward me—“I’ll double-check your permanent record, Holling Hood. Be prepared for a change, should one be necessary.”

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

Even though she has filters set up, Tabacnic always double-checks to make sure her matches are actually where the dating app says they are.

From MarketWatch Jun. 3, 2026

For example, one arm of the AI generates the response, and another instantly double-checks it to make sure it’s safe before letting it through to the user.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 22, 2025

But he is keenly aware of what he spends, so he double-checks all the prices.

From Seattle Times Dec. 20, 2022

That’s why a music conductor I know always double-checks with himself just before he hears “maestro to the pit” and must head to the podium to conduct an opera.

From Washington Post Jul. 2, 2021

She relieves herself in the sixth-floor toilet and checks her instinct to flush, knowing the toilet will not refill, and double-checks the air to make sure it does not feel warm before continuing.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

If I hadn’t double-checked the tickets, we would have missed the 9:33 a.m. departure.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 25, 2026

After hearing its predictions for the Sweet 16 round I double-checked the data.

From MarketWatch Mar. 18, 2026

She added: "I double-checked I locked the door. I couldn't work out how he was in my room because I did everything that I would deem to be correct when you stay in a hotel."

From BBC Mar. 5, 2026

The film’s access coordinator Chantelle Nassari also equipped Bode with a fully accessible trailer, double-checked the day’s pathways and ensured the actor had what she needed to be able to perform.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 20, 2024

The doctor double-checked the list of diseases I had marked on the form earlier.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

“Just double-checking my directions back into town,” I said.

From Slate Jun. 19, 2025

The state appears to have presented a figure without fully explaining its methodology or double-checking the information, said Becker, who is a former senior trial attorney in the voting section of the U.S.

From Salon Oct. 15, 2024

Twinning is a way of double-checking gold is present by drilling next to the place it has been found and taking rock samples.

From BBC May 18, 2024

By double-checking that the hyperplane function contains squared values, a human can easily verify that the function is positive, which means the trajectory is collision-free, Amice explains.

From Science Daily Mar. 7, 2024

Coal kept checking and double-checking his skin to make sure he didn’t suddenly become visible and expose himself.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

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