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Definition of middlegame

middlegame

/ˈmɪd.əl.ɡeɪm/
mid · dle · game
Plural:middlegames
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middlegame Lexical Profile

middlegame Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The intermediate phase of a strategy board game, such as chess or Go, occurring between the opening and the endgame and typically characterized by complex tactical maneuvering.

Example

"After developing his pieces and securing his king, the grandmaster prepared for a highly complicated middlegame."

2

The intermediate stage of any complex process, campaign, strategy, or conflict.

Example

"The political campaign entered its middlegame as both candidates shifted their focus to securing swing states."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for middlegame
Antonyms
View all antonyms for middlegame

• Nearby Words

midday
middle
middlebrow
middlegame
middleman
middleweight
middling

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'middle' and 'game', popularized in the 19th century as a direct calque (loan translation) of the German chess term 'Mittelspiel'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Middlegame. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/middlegame
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