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
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
Julia Wick
variants
or less commonly namecheck
name-checked also namechecked; name-checking also namechecking; name-checks also namechecks
: 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
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
Mara GayLast 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
Luke Morgan BrittonExamples of name-check in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Bradley, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for name-check 
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
Vanessa Hudgens plays three identical characters in The Princess Switch movies, then shows up as the lead of A Knight Before Christmas — a movie that name-checks the kingdom in A Christmas Prince but never acknowledges the existence of Princess Switch.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for name-check
Articles Related to name-check
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 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share