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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Israel says its attacks are aimed at thwarting any attempt by Hezbollah to reconstitute a presence near the border.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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The ceiling thwarting her exceptional talent originated from the constraints of tradition.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But then the team lost Kevin Fiala for the rest of the season to a fractured leg in the Olympic tournament and saw winger Andrei Kuzmenko undergo surgery last week to repair torn meniscus in his right knee, hampering an offense that ranks 28th in the 32-team league in goals.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Public frustration over the district’s academic performance reached a boiling point in August 2024, when Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke at a school board meeting, saying the district’s poor performance was hampering students’ opportunities after high school.—
Silas Allen,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.—
Olivia Sayer,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The pilot of a private jet reportedly made an eerie discovery while flying thousands of feet over Rhode Island, marking the latest in unexplained encounters baffling both experts and civilians alike.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Fairfield University women’s basketball team will head back to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, after defeating Quinnipiac 51-44 Monday night in the MAAC championship game and getting the conference’s automatic berth in Atlantic City.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Bobcats showed flickers of promise, nearly defeating Troy and Georgia Southern in the regular season.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two months after the anniversary of the devastating Southern California firestorms, several legislators at the state Capitol unveiled a package of bills aimed at preventing wildfires and lessening their harms.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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As tech companies race to create the most advanced AI technologies, preventing real-world harm has been a significant technical challenge.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rather than stopping disagreements from happening, this aspect is about repairing any damage left behind.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
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Tuesday’s game featured intentional clock-stopping, game-extending fouls by the Heat.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Checkmating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/checkmating. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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