endgame

noun

end·​game ˈen(d)-ˌgām How to pronounce endgame (audio)
: the stage of a chess game after major reduction of forces
also : the final stage of some action or process

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
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.
While loosening of many environmental regulations has been a goal of the Republican party for decades, many view the Trump endgame to be a glide path towards more oil and gas drilling, mining, logging and other land uses without tough or even any environmental restrictions to slow or prevent them. Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025 Foreign governments leave meetings with the Trump administration confused about the American president’s endgame. Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025 The game, which came as part of the Norway Chess 2025 tournament, swung after Carlsen lost a knight, leading to a frantic endgame in which each player had only seconds left on their clocks. Jason Abbruzzese, NBC news, 2 June 2025 If the endgame is enduring relationships with customers, a focus on customer retention and the relative cost of customer acquisition makes perfect sense. Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for endgame

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of endgame was in 1881

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Cite this Entry

“Endgame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endgame. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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