checkmate

[ chek-meyt ]

noun

1. Also called mate. Chess.
   1. an act or instance of maneuvering the opponent's king into a check from which it cannot escape, thus bringing the game to a victorious conclusion.
   2. the position of the pieces when a king is checkmated.
2. a complete check; defeat:

   His efforts to escape met with a checkmate.

verb (used with object)

, check·mat·ed, check·mat·ing.

1. Chess. to maneuver (an opponent's king) into a check from which it cannot escape; mate.
2. to check completely; defeat:

   Napoleon was checkmated at Waterloo.

interjection

1. Chess. (used by a player to announce that they have put the opponent's king into inextricable check.)

checkmate

/ ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt /

noun

1. chess
   1. the winning position in which an opponent's king is under attack and unable to escape
   2. the move by which this position is achieved
2. utter defeat

verb

1. chess to place (an opponent's king) in checkmate
2. to thwart or render powerless

interjection

1. chess a call made when placing an opponent's king in checkmate

Other Words From

• un·check·mat·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of checkmate¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English chek mat(e), from Middle French escec mat, from Arabic shāh māt, from Persian: literally, “the king (is) checked, nonplussed”

Word History and Origins

Origin of checkmate¹

C14: from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic shāh māt, the king is dead; see check

Example Sentences

In July, Russia even announced its new Checkmate stealth fighter is being built for an export market, which could see it in the air forces of countries like Belarus, which borders both Russia and Poland.

From Popular-Science

The price of the Checkmate, according to Rostec chief Sergei Chemezov, will be around $25 to $30 million, far less expensive than the F-35A’s cost of $78 million apiece in 2021.

From Popular-Science

Because when it comes to moving against the virus, we’re a long way from checkmate.

From Ozy

Under these circumstances many devices were resorted to to checkmate their political moves.

From The Daily Beast

Once a case is made that a leak might be imminent, it is checkmate: the agent is thwarted.

From The Daily Beast

Somebody knew exactly what was going on, somebody was at work to checkmate the dark design.

From Project Gutenberg

You and I will try to checkmate that pack if there is anything uncanny in it.

From Project Gutenberg

The ruffian was counting confidently on having things his own way, and Matt was wondering how he could checkmate him.

From Project Gutenberg

Victory for the South became immediately impossible, no matter how long the final checkmate might be delayed.

From Project Gutenberg

If the Austrian minister could accomplish this, he could thereby checkmate Prussian ambitions for leadership in Germany.

From Project Gutenberg