Illustration of chess
- chessboard with chess pieces arranged as at the beginning of a game
: a game for 2 players each of whom moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across a checkerboard and tries to checkmate the opponent's king
1
: a weedy annual European bromegrass (Bromus secalinus) widely naturalized in North America as a weed especially in grain
2
: any of several weedy bromegrasses related to chess
Examples of chess in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam England, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The Thanksgiving showcase turned into a defensive chess match until the waning moments of the first half.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
The actress also lent her voice to Disney's live-action remake of The Jungle Book and starred in The Queen of Katwe, a biopic about Ugandan chess champ Phiona Mutesi.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
The top of the tree is adorned with a gold crown, while the base features oversize floor-standing chess pieces, cushions and blankets.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chess
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.
Noun
Cris and Holly set up a nonprofit In 2002, Cris and Holly created their nonprofit, the Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund (CCPSF), which aims to both fight breast cancer in the Cincinnati area and aid child development via chess.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The Thanksgiving showcase turned into a defensive chess match until the waning moments of the first half.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
The actress also lent her voice to Disney's live-action remake of The Jungle Book and starred in The Queen of Katwe, a biopic about Ugandan chess champ Phiona Mutesi.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
The top of the tree is adorned with a gold crown, while the base features oversize floor-standing chess pieces, cushions and blankets.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chess
Cite this Entry
“Chess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chess. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share