bed check
noun
: a night inspection to check the presence of persons (such as soldiers) required by regulations to be in bed or in quarters
Examples of bed check in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During routine bed checks the following morning, officers discovered the three inmates were gone and, in their beds, instead were dummy heads comprised of plaster, flesh-tone paint, and real human hair that apparently fooled the night guards.
—
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
The state investigative report listed multiple violations: Staff failed to conduct a routine bed check between 3:15 and 7 a.m.
—Steven Rich, Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2023
In the weeks that followed, more details emerged about those complaints: there were reports of bed checks in hotels and inspections of shopping bags during training camps; allegations that injuries and training sessions had been mismanaged.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 23 July 2023
Curfews and bed checks — often unannounced — ran their lives off hours.
—Denise Kiernan, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2023
At first, it’s believed that the mother is a delusional patient with schizoid personality disorder who has given herself a false identity, so a bed check is conducted to see who might be missing.
—David Means, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021
Based on what officials and sources said at the time, the Tribune reported that Banks and Conley had last been accounted for during a routine bed check at 10 p.m. on the night before their escape.
—Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune, 18 Dec. 2022
Sitake said the team always has a bed check, but declined to say what time that was.
—Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Oct. 2022
According to the Detroit Free Press, Kearse left the team hotel without permission and was late for bed check before the Lions’ loss Saturday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
—Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 31 Dec. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
The state investigative report listed multiple violations: Staff failed to conduct a routine bed check between 3:15 and 7 a.m.
—Steven Rich, Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2023
In the weeks that followed, more details emerged about those complaints: there were reports of bed checks in hotels and inspections of shopping bags during training camps; allegations that injuries and training sessions had been mismanaged.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 23 July 2023
Curfews and bed checks — often unannounced — ran their lives off hours.
—Denise Kiernan, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2023
At first, it’s believed that the mother is a delusional patient with schizoid personality disorder who has given herself a false identity, so a bed check is conducted to see who might be missing.
—David Means, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021
Based on what officials and sources said at the time, the Tribune reported that Banks and Conley had last been accounted for during a routine bed check at 10 p.m. on the night before their escape.
—Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune, 18 Dec. 2022
Sitake said the team always has a bed check, but declined to say what time that was.
—Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Oct. 2022
According to the Detroit Free Press, Kearse left the team hotel without permission and was late for bed check before the Lions’ loss Saturday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
—Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 31 Dec. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Bed check.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bed%20check. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share