as in defunct
no longer existing
a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
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Recent Examples of extinct
An underwater species that was once believed to have gone extinct some 70 million years ago was recently spotted in what became a rare photoshoot for the fish.
—
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 7 May 2025
After dinosaurs went extinct, South America was dominated by large, crocodile-like reptiles called sebecids.
—Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2025
The idea is for both the opera and monument to pay homage to the species that have gone extinct.
—Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Paleontologists have thought the species went extinct about 11 million years ago.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 7 May 2025
After dinosaurs went extinct, South America was dominated by large, crocodile-like reptiles called sebecids.
—Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2025
The idea is for both the opera and monument to pay homage to the species that have gone extinct.
—Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Paleontologists have thought the species went extinct about 11 million years ago.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinct
Adjective
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Only Williams, McLaren, Ferrari, Sauber (through all its guises), and the defunct operations of Lotus and Tyrrell remain ahead.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
The Idaho Cobalt Project is a model: a defunct mine site brought back into operation to extract minerals while also helping clean up legacy pollution.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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So many firsts, gone, charred to ash, just remnants of an area that once represented Black prosperity and joy.—
Maya Richard-Craven,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
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The original pioneers were mostly busy making non-hyperpop or gone: SOPHIE tragically died in 2021; 100 gecs spent years toiling to make their zany stadium-rock second album.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Clean out the expired sunscreen first before attempting to recycle the container.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2025
-
Expand All When a Bonner Springs police officer began chasing a man in June 2021 for an expired license plate, speeds on Interstate 70 escalated to 100 mph.—
Katie Moore,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And in this parish of 12,000 Catholics from more than 100 countries, those who make a living as interpreters fear their jobs will soon be obsolete.—
Motoko Rich,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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As highlighted by McKinsey and the MIT Sloan School of Management, this distinction has become obsolete over the last few years with tech leaders now integral to business strategy, driving innovation and delivering value.—
Rosalba Carandente,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinct. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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