Also called mate. Chess .

an act or instance of maneuvering the opponent's king into a check from which it cannot escape, thus bringing the game to a victorious conclusion.

the position of the pieces when a king is checkmated.

a complete check; defeat

His efforts to escape met with a checkmate.

Chess . to maneuver (an opponent's king) into a check from which it cannot escape; mate.

to check completely; defeat

Napoleon was checkmated at Waterloo.

Chess . (used by a player to announce that he or she has put the opponent's king into inextricable check.)

verb

baffle , balk , check , defeat , foil , stymie , thwart , conquer , corner , countermove , frustrate , gain , outwit , stop , triumph , undo , vanquish