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checkerboard

noun

check·​er·​board ˈche-kər-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce checkerboard (audio)
1
: a board used in various games (such as checkers) with usually 64 squares in 2 alternating colors
2
: something that has a pattern or arrangement like a checkerboard

Examples of checkerboard in a Sentence

The fields formed a checkerboard of light and dark squares.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This helps the checkerboard feel more intentional. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025 Oversized floral prints cover the custom sectionals in both living rooms; a blue, yellow, and purple checkerboard rug anchors her dining room; and classic zigzag pillows adorn the beds. Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2025 By the end of the first weekend, audiences were already watching it multiple times, cheering, and wearing checkerboard Vans like Spicoli. Cameron Crowe, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025 Scarlet strings of chile hung against the light-brown adobe of houses, and the fields were checkerboards of green and gold. Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for checkerboard

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of checkerboard was in 1775

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Checkerboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkerboard. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

checkerboard

noun
check·​er·​board -ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce checkerboard (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a board used in games and marked with 64 squares in two colors

More from Merriam-Webster on checkerboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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