How to pronounce checkmate
Say it like CHEK-mayt. Checkmate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce checkmate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHEK
- mayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Checkmate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- maytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of checkmate
American and British speakers say checkmate in essentially the same way: /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/ in the US and /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHEK-mayt.
What does checkmate mean?
- Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
- Said when one has placed a person in a losing situation with no escape.
- The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
- Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.
- To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.“My opponent checkmated me in four moves!”
- To place in a losing situation that has no escape.
Questions about saying checkmate
How do you pronounce checkmate?
Say CHEK-mayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in checkmate?
Checkmate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEK). Broken into parts: CHEK · mayt.
Do Americans and Brits say checkmate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.