checkered history
noun
: a past history of having had problems
When it comes to labor relations, the company has a somewhat checkered history.
Examples of checkered history in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The United States has a long and checkered history of intervening directly and indirectly in the politics, economies and social concerns of Latin American countries, stretching back more than a century.
—
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
Fernandez didn’t know much about Williams’ checkered history in Memphis.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2025
Critics are alarmed The volatile and checkered history of cryptocurrencies has many critics alarmed.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
Housing & Homelessness Evictions, homelessness, debt: Skid Row Housing Trust receiver has checkered history
May 17, 2023
Eight of the trust’s 29 properties have been turned over to other nonprofit landlords, with an additional nine expected to follow in the coming months.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2023
Yet policymakers and consumer advocates warned that Friday’s pledge should be just the beginning of the White House’s work to address AI safety, pointing to tech companies’ checkered history of keeping their safety and security commitments.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 21 July 2023
In their efforts to protect and defend the rights of Muslims, American elites have embraced a bowdlerized version of Islam’s complicated and checkered history in the United States.
—Peter Skerry, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2017
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Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
Fernandez didn’t know much about Williams’ checkered history in Memphis.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2025
Critics are alarmed The volatile and checkered history of cryptocurrencies has many critics alarmed.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
Housing & Homelessness Evictions, homelessness, debt: Skid Row Housing Trust receiver has checkered history
May 17, 2023
Eight of the trust’s 29 properties have been turned over to other nonprofit landlords, with an additional nine expected to follow in the coming months.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2023
Yet policymakers and consumer advocates warned that Friday’s pledge should be just the beginning of the White House’s work to address AI safety, pointing to tech companies’ checkered history of keeping their safety and security commitments.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 21 July 2023
In their efforts to protect and defend the rights of Muslims, American elites have embraced a bowdlerized version of Islam’s complicated and checkered history in the United States.
—Peter Skerry, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Checkered history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkered%20history. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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