checkmate 1 of 2

verb

ˈchek-ˌmāt How to pronounce checkmate (audio)
Definition of checkmatenext
as in to frustrate
to prevent from achieving a goal finally checkmated the billionaire in his attempt to take over the movie studio

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

checkmate

2 of 2

noun

as in deterrence

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of checkmate
Verb
That was checkmate, as Martinez grounded out meekly to end the season. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026 Losing a game of chess is never fun; however, setting aflame a custom wax king piece when checkmated is losing with style. — Ayah Imran, Freep.com, 17 July 2025
Noun
The Perfect Timing Of Valentine’s Day If the Boston Globe announcement was the opening move, the Valentine’s Day activation was the checkmate. — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026 Simmons, a sophomore from Duncanville just south of Dallas, has certainly racked up his share of checkmates over the past two seasons with 20 total sacks. — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 28 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for checkmate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for checkmate
  1. frustrate
  2. deterrence
  3. thwart
  4. thwarting
  5. baffle
  6. neutralization
  7. defeat
  8. baffling
Verb
  • Two-thirds of Americans are open to a new agenda and are frustrated with the status quo.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But if the customer leaves frustrated, confused, or forced to restart with a different channel, the automation didn't succeed.
    — Amit Mathradas, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrate
Noun
  • The delegation toured a Taiwanese drone production facility, which Kim said is a key part of the country’s deterrence against China.
    — Charlie Borla, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2026
  • When deterrence fails, and use-of-force incidents take place, the footage is paramount in determining who is responsible and paving a path for justice.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of deterrence
Verb
  • Any chance for a post-trade-deadline revenge night was thwarted when the Mercury ruled Kelsey Plum out ahead of Tuesday’s affair with a lower left leg injury.
    — Kai Dizon, Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That dynamic has thwarted previous efforts over the years to combine the two news organizations.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Noun
  • To simulate thwarting advances by enemy forces using the bridge, soldiers erected layers of barriers and rolled barbed wire.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The attack’s thwarting was an undeniable success.
    — Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of thwarting
Verb
  • The scene never fails to baffle the senses as the path rises up about a thousand feet from the valley floor.
    — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • She is baffled by the way her friends Moe and Fumina rail against their parents, especially when Yuko is always holding back at home, forever walking on eggshells.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of baffle
Noun
  • The two antibodies also worked additively, producing stronger neutralization together than either antibody achieved alone.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • By integrating detection, deception, and neutralization into a single ecosystem—and leveraging the power of autonomy—Ultra Maritime is redefining how naval forces defend themselves beneath the waves.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of neutralization
Verb
  • Martínez was a headache to both pitchers, hitting a grand slam against Sandlin and finishing with a career-high six RBIs as the Guardians defeated the Sox 8-2.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But the technology for defeating ballistic missiles has advanced significantly since the Cold War.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeat
Noun
  • Those who knew me found this baffling.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
  • That said, the good outweighs the baffling.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of baffling

Browse Nearby Words

checklists
checkmate
checkmated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Checkmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmate. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on checkmate

Nglish: Translation of checkmate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about checkmate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All