# zugzwang

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈzʌɡzwæŋ/

## Definitions
1. A situation in which a player is forced to make a disadvantageous move; a position where any legal move will worsen a player's situation.
2. A situation in which someone is forced to make a disadvantageous move.

## Etymology
From German Zugzwang, from Zug (“move”) + Zwang (“compulsion”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/zugzwang