1
archaic
: chessboard
2
: a square or spot resembling the markings of a checkerboard
3
[singular of checkers]
: a piece in checkers
checkered; checkering
ˈche-k(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to variegate with different colors or shades
b
: to vary with contrasting elements or situations
2
: to mark into squares
1
: one that checks
a fact checker
2
: an employee who checks out purchases in a self-service store
Examples of checker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Vulture, 26 Oct. 2023
In the years since, fact checkers have debunked the claim in lengthy articles, corrections posted on viral content, videos and chat rooms.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Taylor Swift is playing 3D promotional chess while the rest of us are still sorting our checkers.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 Sep. 2023
In their search warrants, Newport News police had also sought to search the boy’s backpack, which had black white checkers and images of sharks.
—Ben Finley, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2023
Now, though, false or misleading videos have gone viral faster than fact checkers can debunk them or the platforms can remove them in keeping with company policies.
—Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023
And in August, Leo did a 180 in emails to Rolling Stone’s fact checker.
—Sean Williams, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2023
Read full article Among the dead were workers at the shop, including quality checkers, printing staff, and a driver, many of whom lived in the house and were in their 20s, police said.
—Jason Gutierrez, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023
Then compare those amounts against the cost of outsourcing to professional widget checkers who are trained and contractually obligated to ensure that every product meets client expectations.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 27 July 2023
Peter Marks, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
Yet the record of his previous research was checkered.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Sanchez donned a pale yellow keffiyeh, a Palestinian checkered black and white scarf, that was gifted to her by a friend.
—Helen Li, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2023
Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 14 Oct. 2023
The technology’s reality-warping abilities, which still manage to stump many of the tools designed to identify their use, are already keeping fact checkers busy.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Yes, there were questions in this space when the season began with a lineup checkered with so much newness and uncertainty.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
This look brings that palette to life in the form of a button-up shirt and checkered skirt.
—Megan O'Sullivan, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2023
And like Churchill, Zelensky’s track record before and since his finest hour is checkered at best.
—Michael C. Desch, Harper's Magazine, 11 Sep. 2023
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Noun
There might be mitigating factors, but if The New Yorker ever needs a freelance fact checker, comedian Hasan Minhaj seems to really enjoy the job.
—Vulture, 26 Oct. 2023
In the years since, fact checkers have debunked the claim in lengthy articles, corrections posted on viral content, videos and chat rooms.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Taylor Swift is playing 3D promotional chess while the rest of us are still sorting our checkers.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 Sep. 2023
In their search warrants, Newport News police had also sought to search the boy’s backpack, which had black white checkers and images of sharks.
—Ben Finley, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2023
Now, though, false or misleading videos have gone viral faster than fact checkers can debunk them or the platforms can remove them in keeping with company policies.
—Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023
And in August, Leo did a 180 in emails to Rolling Stone’s fact checker.
—Sean Williams, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2023
Read full article Among the dead were workers at the shop, including quality checkers, printing staff, and a driver, many of whom lived in the house and were in their 20s, police said.
—Jason Gutierrez, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023
Then compare those amounts against the cost of outsourcing to professional widget checkers who are trained and contractually obligated to ensure that every product meets client expectations.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 27 July 2023
Verb
In a society that feels ever more tribal — even in cities that may have progressive cultures but checkered racial histories — inviting someone demographically unlike you to share a drink and an opinion is sometimes akin to a radical act.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
Yet the record of his previous research was checkered.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Sanchez donned a pale yellow keffiyeh, a Palestinian checkered black and white scarf, that was gifted to her by a friend.
—Helen Li, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2023
Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 14 Oct. 2023
The technology’s reality-warping abilities, which still manage to stump many of the tools designed to identify their use, are already keeping fact checkers busy.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Yes, there were questions in this space when the season began with a lineup checkered with so much newness and uncertainty.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
This look brings that palette to life in the form of a button-up shirt and checkered skirt.
—Megan O'Sullivan, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2023
And like Churchill, Zelensky’s track record before and since his finest hour is checkered at best.
—Michael C. Desch, Harper's Magazine, 11 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'checker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English cheker, from Anglo-French checker, escheker, from eschec — more at check
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of checker was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing checker
Dictionary Entries Near checker
Cite this Entry
“Checker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checker. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
checker
1 of 3 noun
check·er
ˈchek-ər
1
: a square resembling the markings on a checkerboard
2
: a piece in the game of checkers
checker
2 of 3 verb
checkered; checkering
-(ə-)riŋ
: to mark with squares of different colors
a checkered tablecloth
checker
3 of 3 noun
: one that checks
especially
: an employee who checks out purchases in a supermarket
More from Merriam-Webster on checker
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for checker
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