endgame

noun

end·​game ˈen(d)-ˌgām 

: the stage of a chess game after major reduction of forces

also : the final stage of some action or process

Synonyms of endgame

• ending
• conclusion
• end
• finale
• culmination

Examples of endgame in a Sentence

they're now in the endgame of the negotiations for a new labor contract

Recent Examples on the Web

Now in its fourth week, the war remains on an unpredictable path and a credible endgame is unclear even as the global economy is being roiled. —Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026

Yet for Iran’s current regime, its endgame is not victory but survival, restoring deterrence and attempting to regain power to dictate terms of what comes after the war. —Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026

Antagonists arrive in the form of a private equity firm looking to acquire the company, activating an endgame. —Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026

The conflict is already deeply unpopular with no clear endgame, as oil prices rise and fighting spreads throughout the Middle East. —ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above