Checkmate Meaning in English
word
Definition
In chess, 'checkmate' is when the king is attacked and cannot escape, ending the game. It can also mean a situation where someone is left with no possible way to win or escape.
Usage & Nuances
'Checkmate' is formal in chess but used more broadly in life as a metaphor for inescapable defeat. In chess, always used to declare victory. In conversation, often dramatic or figurative: 'That's checkmate for them.' Not used interchangeably with 'check'.
Example Sentences
He said 'checkmate' and won the game.
basic
Checkmate means the king cannot move safely anymore.
basic
She tried to escape, but it was checkmate.
basic
That's checkmate—there's no way back for him now.
natural
You set a perfect trap—it's checkmate!
natural
They thought they could win, but the last move was checkmate.
natural