checkered

adjective

check·ered | \ˈche-kərd

Definition of checkered

: marked by alternation or contrast of fortune the best album of his checkered career— Mark Coleman especially : marked by many problems or failures trying to prevent discovery of his checkered past

Examples of checkered in a Sentence

He has had a checkered career with many ups and downs.

Recent Examples on the Web

For Game 4, Green arrives in a wild checkered suit. — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, "Fun times throughout Warriors’ championship season," 10 June 2018 The Virginia Tech and Tennessee football teams will hit the gridiron under the lights, trading checkered flags for penalty flags in the Battle at Bristol. — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, "How Bristol Turned a Racetrack Into a College Football Stadium," 9 Sep. 2016 Although most of the offenses were not serious, the disciplinary file of police officer Evan Olson, which was obtained through an open records request, reflected a checkered past with compliments and blemishes on his record. — Karen Pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wauwatosa cop who punched teen at Mayfair was suspended three times before, records show," 26 June 2018 Privacy - Terms The verse itself has a checkered history of use in American politics. — Sarah Smith, star-telegram, "Christians condemn Jeff Sessions' Scriptural justification for border policy," 15 June 2018 But Israel's announcement on Tuesday marks the first time that the F-35 has been used in an actual combat situation -- a significant moment given the program's checkered past. — Zachary Cohen, CNN, "F-35 stealth fighter jets get first taste of combat," 22 May 2018 For them, a person’s commitment outweighs a checkered past. — Jenna Carlesso, courant.com, "Bear's Smokehouse Owners Give Ex-Offenders Another Chance," 10 May 2018 Despite his weak record of late and his checkered off-the-field reputation, Harvey might still draw interest from other teams if he is released. — James Wagner, New York Times, "Mets and Matt Harvey Part Ways," 4 May 2018 Bring this checkered towel from MacKenzie-Childs as a host or hostess gift. — The Editors, The Cut, "41 Things on Sale You’ll Actually Want to Buy: From Miu Miu to Missoni," 13 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'checkered.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.