endgame

noun

end·game ˈen(d)-ˌgām

Synonyms of endgame

: the stage of a chess game after major reduction of forces

also : the final stage of some action or process

Examples of endgame in a Sentence

they're now in the endgame of the negotiations for a new labor contract

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Despite seeking international support and launching a new military offensive, Saudi Arabia faces a conflict with no clear endgame, as fragmented allies and unresolved regional tensions make a lasting solution hard to achieve. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026 But the Iran example – and particularly the ongoing episodic closures of the Strait of Hormuz – is one of the best illustrations today of how merely invoking credibility to act is not the same as having an overall endgame strategy. — Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 The near-term endgame is a counter used almost entirely for prep, not storage. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026 Unlike Revenge of the Sith‘s one-week play, there’s no endgame for Encore at the fall box office. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for endgame

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of endgame was in 1749

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

end fold

endgame

endgate

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Endgame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endgame. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

endgame

noun

Synonyms of endgame

Examples of endgame in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on endgame

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes