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
as in deterrence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
In the last episode, Mya checkmated Tommy with one simple question and has proven her wisdom in the pretrial phase.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 July 2024
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 Mar. 2025
Chess champion Magnus Carlsen pulled off a sartorial checkmate after returning to a recent tournament despite wearing an article of clothing banned by its dress code: jeans.
—Danielle Jennings, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for checkmate
Verb
Brown checkmates most defensive backs and should still post big numbers if Philly’s offense runs smoothly.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
In the last episode, Mya checkmated Tommy with one simple question and has proven her wisdom in the pretrial phase.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 July 2024
Noun
Between sips of coffee, onlooker Joe suggested to George a move which led to a checkmate.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 Mar. 2025
Chess champion Magnus Carlsen pulled off a sartorial checkmate after returning to a recent tournament despite wearing an article of clothing banned by its dress code: jeans.
—Danielle Jennings, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for checkmate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for checkmate
Verb
-
What frustrates you most about navigating love in the digital age?—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Piastri and his camp, led by steely former F1 racer Mark Webber, were frustrated with Alpine’s slow progress towards his F1 graduation.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The two sides reaffirmed their security ties and announced planned initiatives, including the deployment of additional advanced military capabilities, bilateral training for high-end operations, greater defense industrial cooperation, and a joint cyber campaign—all aimed at restoring deterrence.—
Lynn Kuok,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Apr. 2025
-
These nuclear-capable aircraft are capable of deep-penetration missions and are part of a broader deterrence posture as the U.S. prepares for possible confrontation.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Guna have long thwarted real-estate developers and foreign investors eyeing both the shore and the uninhabited islands, which are a postcard vision of paradise.—
Mark Johanson,
AFAR Media,
22 Apr. 2025
-
And then came the Tampa Bay Lightning, who thwarted everything that made the Panthers so successful.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This May, students from across the United States will gather in Washington D.C., for the 100th anniversary of the Scripps Spelling Bee, determined to conquer a spelling system that has baffled us for centuries.—
Gabe Henry,
Time,
15 Apr. 2025
-
With a fastball that tops out around 87 mph, Barrett finds other ways to baffle hitters.—
Dave Melton,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The prospects for success have been enhanced by Israel’s recent neutralization of Iranian proxies and air defenses, which gives Washington a chance to expand on the template of the Abraham Accords by fostering Israeli-Saudi normalization.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
-
So social media sort of accelerated the normalization, or neutralization, of this word.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Both competitors defeated four female opponents each to get to the championship bout.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
In Brazil’s 2023 Presidential election, Lula da Silva defeated Jair Bolsonaro by less than two percentage points.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The dissatisfaction simmered for years, hampering efforts to combine the automakers fully.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The nullification of his diploma disqualifies Imamoglu from running for president, and the terrorism charge removes him from the mayor’s office.—
Gonul Tol,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Forgetting is a step toward nullification.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Checkmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmate. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share