1. the final stage of a chess game when few pieces remain on the board
Usage: chess
2. the final stage of any process, especially a political or business strategy

Examples

• She studied various chess endgames to improve her tournament play.
• The political endgames of both campaigns focused on swing states.
• In complex endgames, every move must be calculated precisely.
• The merger negotiations entered their endgames last week.
• He specializes in teaching endgames to intermediate chess players.
• Corporate endgames often involve difficult decisions about layoffs.
• The endgames in professional chess require years of study to master.