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

---

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

You’ve amassed a following, and that’s the endgame.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Oil and gas prices look to stay elevated under any endgame scenario, punishing importers in the developing world.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Yet, more than five weeks after joint U.S. and Israeli strikes began, the president has struggled to identify a clear endgame to the conflict.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Perhaps this would be a good time to remember that the real endgame lies with the Iranian people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

I discovered that for the whole game one must gather invisible strengths and see the endgame before the game begins.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan