as in to frustrate
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
as in deterrence
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of checkmate
Pierce O'Donnell, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Brown checkmates most defensive backs and should still post big numbers if Philly’s offense runs smoothly.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 21 May 2025
In the second, Eze again ceded the advantage, but ruthlessly capitalised on a costly blunder with a rapid-fire checkmate to seal the win and the tournament.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for checkmate
Verb
That would effectively checkmate any effort to investigate, much less prosecute, anyone protected by the amnesty grant.
—Pierce O'Donnell, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Brown checkmates most defensive backs and should still post big numbers if Philly’s offense runs smoothly.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
Noun
In that case, however, Anand managed to secure a checkmate after 29 days of play.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 21 May 2025
In the second, Eze again ceded the advantage, but ruthlessly capitalised on a costly blunder with a rapid-fire checkmate to seal the win and the tournament.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for checkmate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for checkmate
Verb
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Parents frustrated by ticket limits Parents are also voicing concerns.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Even Republicans who were frustrated with Carney’s speech predicted the US-Canada relationship would remain unscathed by his harsh assessment of America’s role in the world.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Continue reading … POWER PLAY — US raid in Venezuela signals deterrence to adversaries, experts say.—
,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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When California signals that even the most extreme acts of school violence may eventually be reconsidered and reduced, deterrence erodes — and schools become collateral damage in the process.—
Tracie Thill,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Police officers seeking to thwart the getaway are impeded by the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day parade, which features a sublime performance by the salsa great Eddie Palmieri (who died earlier this month, at the age of eighty-eight).—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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One of the pain points that has thwarted textile-to-textile recycling at scale is the preponderance of elastane that’s blended into everything from denim to leggings.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While McDermott is out, Beane was promoted to president of football operations, a move that baffled many as much as the coach’s firing.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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In August 2025, the IFA determined that Lebanon Utilities' leg of the project didn't necessitate an environmental impact statement, which baffled many on the committee who see a host of potential threats.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Soko has developed specific products for this problem, including SuperCast, which completes the neutralization of the oxidizing agents, removes the residues and eliminates yellowing.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Jan. 2026
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Researchers revealed that the high-voltage output facilitates the neutralization and collection of dust and moisture by generating negative ions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Lancers took a step in the right direction Friday night, coming from behind to defeat La Jolla Country Day 52-39 on the Torreys’ floor in the Coastal League opener for both teams.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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In the main event of SmackDown, Trick Williams defeated Damian Priest by DQ after provoking Sami Zayn.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That said, the good outweighs the baffling.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although weather conditions in Charlotte improved Monday, the aftermath of the storm continued to hamper travel plans, resulting in an additional 700 cancellations and 465 delays.—
Chase Jordan
January 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
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Read the Story US airlines are still paring back flights as a deep freeze hampers the restart of operations at some major hubs.—
Jordan Erb,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Checkmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmate. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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