Meaning & use
checkmate
The winning position in chess in which a player's king is under attack and cannot escape capture.
See it in a sentence
With a swift bishop move, she declared checkmate and ended the tense match.
The grandmaster forced checkmate in only twelve moves against his surprised opponent.
A note on using this word
Checkmate ends the game immediately, unlike 'check,' which only threatens the king without ending play.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To defeat someone completely, leaving them with no further options or ways to respond.
Her final piece of evidence checkmated the defense's entire argument in court.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “checkmate”, then compare your use with the examples above.