diff --git a/src/python/pants/engine/objects.py b/src/python/pants/engine/objects.py
index c5b3f5be3a0e..17b0dac1e492 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/engine/objects.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/engine/objects.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterable
 from typing import Generic, Iterator, TypeVar
 
-from pants.util.meta import sentinel_attribute
+from pants.util.meta import decorated_type_checkable
 
 
 class SerializationError(Exception):
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def __bool__(self) -> bool:
     return bool(self.dependencies)
 
 
-@sentinel_attribute
+@decorated_type_checkable
 def union(cls):
   """A class decorator which other classes can specify that they can resolve to with `UnionRule`.
 
diff --git a/src/python/pants/util/meta.py b/src/python/pants/util/meta.py
index 7d5f9d6eb349..c05663aa1c90 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/util/meta.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/util/meta.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def staticproperty(func: Union[staticmethod, Callable]) -> ClassPropertyDescript
 class _ClassDecoratorWithSentinelAttribute(ABC):
   """Base class to wrap a class decorator which sets a "sentinel attribute".
 
-  This functionality is exposed via the `@sentinel_attribute` decorator.
+  This functionality is exposed via the `@decorated_type_checkable` decorator.
   """
 
   @abstractmethod
@@ -123,15 +123,15 @@ def __call__(self, cls: Type) -> Type: ...
 
   def define_instance_of(self, obj: Type, **kwargs) -> Type:
     return type(obj.__name__, (obj,), {
-      '_sentinel_attribute_type': type(self),
+      '_decorated_type_checkable_type': type(self),
       **kwargs
     })
 
   def is_instance(self, obj: Type) -> bool:
-    return getattr(obj, '_sentinel_attribute_type', None) is type(self)
+    return getattr(obj, '_decorated_type_checkable_type', None) is type(self)
 
 
-def sentinel_attribute(decorator: Callable[[Type], Type]) -> _ClassDecoratorWithSentinelAttribute:
+def decorated_type_checkable(decorator: Callable[[Type], Type]) -> _ClassDecoratorWithSentinelAttribute:
   """Wraps a class decorator to add a "sentinel attribute" to decorated classes.
 
   A "sentinel attribute" is an attribute added to the wrapped class decorator's result with
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def __call__(self, cls: Type) -> Type:
   return WrappedFunction()
 
 
-@sentinel_attribute
+@decorated_type_checkable
 def frozen_after_init(cls: Type[_T]) -> Type[_T]:
   """Class decorator to freeze any modifications to the object after __init__() is done.
 
diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/util/test_meta.py b/tests/python/pants_test/util/test_meta.py
index 9c5e831a8220..609872812c94 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/util/test_meta.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/util/test_meta.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   SingletonMetaclass,
   classproperty,
   frozen_after_init,
-  sentinel_attribute,
+  decorated_type_checkable,
   staticproperty,
 )
 
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ def f(cls):
 
 class SentinelAttributeTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
-  def test_sentinel_attribute(self):
-    @sentinel_attribute
+  def test_decorated_type_checkable(self):
+    @decorated_type_checkable
     def f(cls):
       return f.define_instance_of(cls)
 
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def f(cls):
     class C:
       pass
 
-    self.assertEqual(C._sentinel_attribute_type, type(f))
+    self.assertEqual(C._decorated_type_checkable_type, type(f))
     self.assertTrue(f.is_instance(C))