checkpoint

noun

check·​point ˈchek-ˌpȯint How to pronounce checkpoint (audio)
: a point at which a check is performed
vehicles were inspected at various checkpoints

Examples of checkpoint in a Sentence

Our car was stopped at a police checkpoint before we were permitted to cross the border.
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.
Deadly 2021 Incident In 2021, Roy Gordon Cole drove up to a checkpoint at the CIA headquarters and refused to move before emerging from the vehicle with a sword. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025 Seidl said Wednesday afternoon that the city would put new checkpoints in place. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025 The growing use of facial recognition technology at airport security checkpoints is making some travelers worry about their digital privacy. Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 May 2025 Some, including June, Moira, Janine, and Ava (Aunt Phoebe’s real name), pile into the back of a truck that will transport them to a military checkpoint that Mayday should have secured by now. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for checkpoint

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of checkpoint was in 1926

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Checkpoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkpoint. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

checkpoint

noun
check·​point ˈchek-ˌpȯint How to pronounce checkpoint (audio)
: a point at which a check is carried out
vehicles were inspected at different checkpoints

Legal Definition

checkpoint

noun
check·​point
: a point at which an inspection or investigation is performed
a checkpoint to uncover drunk drivers

More from Merriam-Webster on checkpoint

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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