extinguish

verb

ex·​tin·​guish ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish How to pronounce extinguish (audio)
extinguished; extinguishing; extinguishes

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to bring to an end : make an end of
hope for their safety was slowly extinguished
(2)
: to reduce to silence or ineffectiveness
b
: to cause to cease burning : quench
c
: to cause extinction of (a conditioned response)
d
: to dim the brightness of : eclipse
2
a
: to cause to be void : nullify
extinguish a claim
b
: to get rid of usually by payment
extinguish a debt
extinguishable adjective
extinguisher noun
extinguishment noun

Examples of extinguish in a Sentence

The fire department was called in to extinguish the blaze. He extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray. They ruthlessly extinguished all resistance. News of the conflict extinguished our hopes for a peaceful resolution.
Recent Examples on the Web Rescuers arrived to try to extinguish the fire and search for survivors before being caught in the second strike shortly after. Christian Edwards, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 In fact, the U.S. government’s anti-propaganda efforts took a different approach, releasing floods of facts while rarely mentioning the rumors they were meant to extinguish. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 After getting up, a firefighter helps extinguish the flames, and Jason gleefully put his hands up in the air. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Firefighters extinguished the flames and preserved the evidence from the scene so the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board could investigate the crash. Landon Mion, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 Firefighters arrived on the scene at 4:38 a.m. and began cutting open walls and ceilings to extinguish the flames. Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 After the blaze was extinguished, investigators found the bodies of Galvez, Norris and Loftin inside the home, the report concluded. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 The hotel’s roof eventually collapsed under the heavy weight of water used to extinguish the fire, according to Firth. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024 Another problem for firefighters is that lithium ion battery fires are harder to extinguish than a regular fire, Hunter said. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extinguish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin exstinguere (from ex- + stinguere to extinguish) + English -ish (as in abolish); akin to Latin instigare to incite — more at stick

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of extinguish was circa 1540

Dictionary Entries Near extinguish

Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinguish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

extinguish

verb
ex·​tin·​guish ik-ˈstiŋ-gwish How to pronounce extinguish (audio)
1
: to cause to stop burning
2
: to cause to die out
extinguishable adjective
extinguisher noun

Medical Definition

extinguish

transitive verb
ex·​tin·​guish ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish How to pronounce extinguish (audio)
: to cause extinction of (a conditioned response)
extinguish an avoidance response

Legal Definition

extinguish

transitive verb
ex·​tin·​guish
1
: to cause the nonexistence of : do away with
2
: to cause (as a claim or right) to be void : nullify
3
: to get rid of (a debt or other liability) by payment or other compensatory adjustment
extinguishable adjective
extinguishment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on extinguish

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