checkmates

verb

present tense third-person singular of checkmate
as in frustrates
to prevent from achieving a goal finally checkmated the billionaire in his attempt to take over the movie studio

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for checkmates
  1. frustrates
  2. baffles
  3. hampers
  4. thwarts
  5. defeats
Verb
  • But what most frustrates her is that Calder’s portrayal of Millennial ennui and directionlessness takes those qualities at face value and, in doing so, replicates them.
    — Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Fallback that requires manual intervention or user choice introduces friction that frustrates legitimate users and can be socially engineered by bad actors.
    — Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of frustrates
Verb
  • Meanwhile, McGrew agreed to adjustments, including adding baffles to reduce sound from a attached generator for the tower and replacing tower fencing that incorporated barbed wire with taller, more natural looking fencing.
    — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Using humane methods like squirrel baffles and tree nets can effectively keep squirrels out of your fruit trees.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026
Definition of baffles
Verb
  • Cybersecurity experts increasingly warn that restricting access to advanced AI models hampers defenders’ ability to identify vulnerabilities, test systems, and develop countermeasures.
    — James Marks, Fortune, 23 July 2026
  • Neighbors of the state park who have become accustomed to spontaneous visits found that the new system hampers their ability to make a last-minute trip.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Definition of hampers
Verb
  • Another tactic is treating ship hulls with special paint that thwarts unwanted hitchhikers from latching on.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • In Homer’s Odyssey, Poseidon thwarts Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca while Athena intervenes to help him.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026
Definition of thwarts
Verb
  • Replacing lead-acid with a much lighter battery can require adding weight back into the vehicle, which defeats part of the purpose.
    — Darren Tan, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Costly defeats If past is prologue, Democratic insiders are right to be concerned.
    — David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
Definition of defeats
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.

Browse Nearby Words

checkmated
checkmates
checkmating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Checkmates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmates. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on checkmates

Nglish: Translation of checkmates for Spanish Speakers

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