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
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.
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.
