Definition of extinction
1 : the act of making extinct or causing to be extinguished
2 : the condition or fact of being extinct or extinguished; also : the process of becoming extinct extinction of a species
3 : the process of eliminating or reducing a conditioned response by not reinforcing it
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Examples of extinction in a Sentence
the extinction of all life in the region
the extinction of many old traditions
Mass extinctions of prehistoric animals are known to have occurred.
Recent Examples of extinction from the Web
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Every dinosaur on display probably came out of extinction just to get a better look at this corset.
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Horseshoe crabs are living fossils that have survived four mass extinctions.
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These wild, edible mangoes are in danger of extinction and most certainly represent an important resource for the future of mangoes.
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The Fort Worth Zoo is a participant in a cooperative breeding program with other zoos in the country to help keep the giraffes from extinction, Elander said in a statement.
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Except as ornamentation and status display, the conventional watch, too, is well on its way to extinction, as are clocks, calendars and datebooks.
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This early Alabama capitol lost its designation due to floods and other mishaps that drove it to extinction.
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A race that can not hold its fiber strong and true deserves to suffer extinction through race suicide.
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In announcing his withdrawal from the international pact to fight global warming, Trump touted mines opening in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia and said the Paris accord would’ve been a near extinction-level event for such operations.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'extinction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of extinction
15th century
EXTINCTION Defined for English Language Learners
extinction
playDefinition of extinction for English Language Learners
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: the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely
EXTINCTION Defined for Kids
extinction
playDefinition of extinction for Students
: the state of being, becoming, or making extinct
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about extinction
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for extinction Spanish Central: Translation of extinction Nglish: Translation of extinction for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of extinction for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about extinction
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