name-check

1 of 2

noun

variants or namecheck or name check
plural name-checks or namechecks or name checks
: a specific and usually public mention or acknowledgment of someone or something by name
It's not surprising that Chekhov gets a namecheck in Marion Bridge, which is playing in a superbly performed production through Aug. 25 at Hudson Village Theatre … . That Chekhov nod comes from boozy, disillusioned actress Agnes (Leni Parker), whose unsuccessful career has included appearing in plays by the Russian master …Jim Burke
[Marianne] Williamson began giving her talks in 1983 at the Philosophical Research Society on Los Feliz Boulevard (the nonprofit, which gets a name-check in McWilliam's chapter on the abundant flowering of Southern California occultism, is still in operation).Julia Wick

name-check

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly namecheck
name-checked also namechecked; name-checking also namechecking; name-checks also namechecks

transitive verb

: to mention or acknowledge (someone or something) specifically and publicly by name
… he is an avid collector of contemporary art, although he alone turns the pursuit to his singular ends in lyrics that knowingly name-check everyone from Jeff Koons to Jean-Michel Basquiat.Guy Trebay
"… I couldn't wait that long for another box of Shipley's," he said, name-checking the local doughnut shop that catered the event.Mara Gay
Last year, the show's fans successfully petitioned for McDonald's to bring back its limited-edition Szechuan sauce from 1998 after it was namechecked in an episode.Luke Morgan Britton

Examples of name-check in a Sentence

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.
Noun
Adobe also name-checks Pokémon trading cards, Tonie and Spider-Man figurines and slime-making kits. Alina Selyukh, NPR, 27 Nov. 2024 The front of each matte-finish coaster features artwork depicting an image of the sandy coastline and a signpost that name-checks some of our more familiar beaches and beach cities, including Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice and Manhattan Beach. Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024 Starmer was in a hurry to name-check things that his government was actually doing: introducing a new bill to strengthen workers’ rights and hosting an upcoming international investment summit. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2024 The commercial rightly focuses on other details, such as cinematic slow motion on the iPhone 16 Pro, and EE’s prowess in 5G. Apple Intelligence gets a name-check at the very end, and the new Siri animation briefly crosses a parent’s iPhone display. David Phelan, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for name-check 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1972, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of name-check was in 1972

Dictionary Entries Near name-check

Cite this Entry

“Name-check.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/name-check. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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