Illustration of chess
- chessboard with chess pieces arranged as at the beginning of a game
: a game for 2 players each of whom moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across a checkerboard and tries to checkmate the opponent's king
1
: a weedy annual European bromegrass (Bromus secalinus) widely naturalized in North America as a weed especially in grain
2
: any of several weedy bromegrasses related to chess
Examples of chess in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
After enjoying a dramatic spike in popularity, chess is at a moment of reckoning.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
If none of Grandpa’s grandkids are up for a chess match, no prob.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024
With most chess players’ performances tending to decline after the age of 35, Nakamura is likely approaching the end of his competitive career.
—Jamie Barton, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chess 
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Noun
The interplay of these checks and balances is like a chess match.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
After enjoying a dramatic spike in popularity, chess is at a moment of reckoning.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
If none of Grandpa’s grandkids are up for a chess match, no prob.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024
With most chess players’ performances tending to decline after the age of 35, Nakamura is likely approaching the end of his competitive career.
—Jamie Barton, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chess
Dictionary Entries Near chess
Cite this Entry
“Chess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chess. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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