checkmate Definition
- 1a position in chess in which a player’s king is in check (threatened with capture) and there is no way to remove the threat. This results in the game being won by the opponent.
- 2a situation in which someone has been defeated or beaten and can no longer continue
Using checkmate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "checkmate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He put his opponent in checkmate with a clever move.
Example
The company's financial troubles led to its checkmate in the market.
Example
The team's loss in the final game was a checkmate for their championship hopes.
checkmate Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for checkmate
Phrases with checkmate
put someone in checkmate
to defeat someone completely, often in an argument or competition
Example
She put her opponent in checkmate with her well-researched arguments.
to announce that one has won a game of chess by putting the opponent's king in an unbeatable position
Example
He declared checkmate with a triumphant smile.
reach a checkmate
to reach a point where there are no more options or moves available
Example
The negotiations reached a checkmate when neither side was willing to compromise further.
Origins of checkmate
from Persian 'shāh māt', meaning 'the king is dead'
Summary: checkmate in Brief
The term 'checkmate' [ˈtʃɛkmət] refers to a position in chess where a player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to remove the threat, resulting in the game being won by the opponent. It also means a situation in which someone has been defeated or beaten and can no longer continue. Phrases like 'put someone in checkmate' and 'declare checkmate' extend the chess metaphor to other contexts.
