Definition of extinguishnext
1
as in to choke
to cause to cease burning the fire in the skillet was quickly extinguished by slamming the lid on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of a fatal blunder that extinguished all hope that the team would actually win the play-offs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to shush
to stop the noise or speech of her final, telling point extinguished her opponents on the city council

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extinguish Those flames of common moral purpose could not be extinguished by the loss of any single individual. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Firefighters went into the building to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 June 2026 Crews stayed on scene until nightfall to monitor and extinguish hot spots. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026 That unlikely scenario was extinguished by Algeria and Jordan have now been eliminated from the tournament. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
  • The campaign has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Russia's efforts on the battlefield, Western officials and analysts say, and heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026
  • Remove chokes from artichokes and steam in small amount of water for 15 minutes, adding water to pan as needed.
    Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said on Sunday that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the earthquakes and 774 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including hospitals.
    Alfredo Meza, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • There's nothing more quintessential to being a kid than playing Little League baseball, but on July Fourth, 2025, along with so much more, the Little League fields of Hill Country were destroyed, along with the innocence of thousands of kids who live here.
    Bo Evans, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • As the moment unfolded, Savannah shushed the future king and even briefly placed her hand over his mouth in an effort to keep him composed.
    Staff Author, InStyle, 13 June 2026
  • Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • Water does far more than quench thirst.
    Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 22 June 2026
  • By quenching dryness, the formula delivers instantly glowy skin and smooths the appearance of fine lines (which are more prominent when skin is dehydrated).
    Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Nationally, many facilities of that time have since been demolished as housing policies evolved, but New Britain’s housing authority kept the roughly 250-unit Mount Pleasant and now operates it as its oldest property.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2026
  • Ryan Blank, who lives in the Manor Avenue neighborhood, hung out with his neighbors across the street from the house that got demolished by a tree.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Davis crafted a marquee lineup that included Springsteen, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, The Killers and Paul Simon, but a massive thunderstorm silenced the show before many of the top names could perform.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • Your method of dismissing your flippant remarks, then, is probably the next best option to silence.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Those warnings blanketed about three-quarters of the country at the peak of the heat wave.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 June 2026
  • Extreme heat this week will blanket a majority of American states through the July 4 weekend, according to forecasters.
    Chandelis Duster, NPR, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • Explosions had all but ruined my hearing.
    Will Mackin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on extinguish

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster