Synonyms of extinguish

extinguish

verb

ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish 

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

• choke
• quench
• blanket
• douse
• put out
• snuff (out)
• smother
• suffocate
• blow out
• stamp (out)
• stub
• snub (out)
• rub out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fire
• light
• ignite
• kindle
• inflame

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

• destroy
• demolish
• ruin
• shatter
• devastate
• overcome
• wreck
• smash
• annihilate
• damage
• vaporize
• waste
• erode
• decimate
• raze
• pulverize
• ravage
• kill
• dismantle
• desolate
• subdue
• remove
• pull down
• tear down
• cream
• defeat
• rub out
• mar
• total
• cripple
• crush
• injure
• break
• nuke
• conquer
• eradicate
• impair
• wrack
• do in
• blast
• dissolve
• disintegrate
• best
• surmount
• harm
• spoil
• obliterate
• lick
• trim
• prevail (over)
• deteriorate
• vitiate
• master
• win (against)
• exterminate
• extirpate
• triumph (over)
• expunge
• disfigure
• undo
• mutilate
• wear (away)
• rout
• sweep (away)
• liquidate
• scotch
• beat
• thrash
• whip
• dynamite
• blow up
• assassinate
• efface
• slay
• deface
• disassemble
• wipe out
• wash out
• clobber
• trounce
• mangle
• scour
• overbear
• execute
• unmake
• slaughter
• fell
• plunder
• overmatch
• sack
• trample
• take down
• blot out
• despoil
• cut down
• drub
• pillage
• zap
• snuff (out)
• murder
• kill off
• stamp (out)
• massacre
• dispatch
• loot
• havoc
• vandalize
• skunk
• gut
• take out
• mow (down)
• wallop
• unbuild
• dilapidate
• trash
• root (out)
• butcher

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• build
• construct
• raise
• create
• set up
• erect
• put up
• repair
• fix
• produce
• rear
• patch
• make
• establish
• invent
• protect
• found
• form
• mend
• preserve
• manufacture
• constitute
• assemble
• forge
• shape
• save
• organize
• fabricate
• conserve
• mold
• bring about
• recondition
• restore
• revamp
• frame
• institute
• fashion
• rebuild
• reconstruct
• doctor
• renovate
• father
• remodel

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

• shush
• silence
• settle
• mute
• quell
• quiet
• hush
• dumb
• still
• shut up
• squelch
• quieten

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stir
• agitate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of extinguish

Police called in crisis negotiators to persuade the man to surrender as firefighters extinguished the fire. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

The Saudi Energy Ministry said a fire had broken out at dawn at a facility belonging to Saudi Aramco’s refinery in Jazan, that was extinguished by the company’s firefighting teams. — Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026

The Saudi energy ministry earlier said a fire there was extinguished and no one had been injured, without giving any details on the cause. — Sara Gharaibeh, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026

After the fire was extinguished, the body of a deceased male was located inside the home. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026