as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
finally checkmated the billionaire in his attempt to take over the movie studio
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Recent Examples of checkmating
In the event’s final game, Nakamura caught headlines by theatrically throwing reigning Classical world champion Gukesh Dommaraju’s king into the crowd after checkmating him.
—
Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for checkmating
Verb
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Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In long form, the writers can pack enough globe-spanning spy games, adrenaline-spiking set pieces, and terrorist-thwarting action to keep even James Bond – or Jack Bauer, or Jason Bourne – busy.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
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Mostly, Julian and Lori take turns thwarting his obnoxious kids and threatening to quit.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Saudi Arabia’s crucial energy infrastructure suffered a series of strikes, hampering its oil and gas production and exports, even as crude prices climbed.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Brian Hooker reported his wife missing on Sunday, April 5, saying she had been swept away from a dingy which lost power the night before, hampering his ability to seek help.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the castle’s internal order collapses under the weight of a string of baffling crimes, Araki strikes a fragile alliance with Kuroda Kanbei – a razor-minded captive languishing in his own dungeon – in a race to root out a traitor before Oda’s army closes in.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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This inversion explains a host of baffling political and cultural phenomena of late.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ben Shelton bounced back from disappointment last year by defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-5 to win the Munich Open on Sunday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Cargill won the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event in November, defeating Tiffany Stratton.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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National security officials have long argued Section 702 is essential for preventing terrorist attacks.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The civil case began when the federal government alleged that Live Nation used its clout to engage in a variety of anticompetitive practices, including preventing venues from using multiple ticket sellers.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, skipped a traditional airport photo op, instead departing in a convoy of vehicles without stopping to pose for the press.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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But with the brief resurgence of the run game, the run-stopping, athletic inside linebacker is a bit more crucial.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Checkmating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmating. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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