Showing results for "endgame"

• a variation of end game.

endgame

British  

/ ˈɛndˌɡeɪm /

noun

1. Also called: ending.  the closing stage of a game of chess, in which only a few pieces are left on the board

2. the closing stage of any of certain other games

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Explanation

An endgame is the very last part of a strategic game, like chess or backgammon. The last few moves you make in your chess game are your endgame. Although the term endgame doesn't have a formal definition in chess, it's long been used by players to describe what happens when very few pieces are left on the board. One interesting thing characteristic of a chess endgame is that the king, which spends most of the game being protected by other pieces, becomes much stronger. From the chess meaning, endgame is also used figuratively to mean "end stages of negotiation."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

endgame

A blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance from a substitute who was supposed to be a leader, a senior man, a guy to nurse Rangers to the endgame with their flimsy 1-0 lead intact.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

It neatly sums up the endgame in which we find ourselves — and his vanquishing of the preacher Eli speaks to what we worship in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

The dispute reflects a deeper disagreement over the war’s endgame.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Allbritton, who co-founded Politico, aims for the Star to break even by 2029, without a sale as an endgame.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

It wasn’t the tactical possibilities that made him consume time, but the long, drawn-out endgame position, rife with complications.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady