as in defunct
no longer existing
a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 extinct
To say that sage grouse now are extinct in western North Dakota might be stretching things — but only slightly — after surveys of the leks, the birds’ communal mating grounds, this spring failed to find a single male on the mating grounds, a Game and Fish Department biologist says.
—
Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 26 July 2025
Some native flora are extinct, enduring only in mele (chants and songs).
—D. Kauwila Mahi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2025
They were thought to be extinct until a colony was found in the mid-1970s.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
The worms, also known as cactus worms, are mostly extinct today, but were widespread during the Cambrian.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 26 July 2025
Some native flora are extinct, enduring only in mele (chants and songs).
—D. Kauwila Mahi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2025
They were thought to be extinct until a colony was found in the mid-1970s.
—Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
The worms, also known as cactus worms, are mostly extinct today, but were widespread during the Cambrian.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinct
Adjective
-
Associated Press What To Know The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Washington of escalating tensions by testing, producing and moving systems once banned under the defunct Intermediate‑Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.—
Sonam Sheth
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
-
The owner of a defunct Leominster used car dealership cashed a nearly $1.4 million IRS refund check that wasn’t meant for him, federal prosecutors allege.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
On April 13, 2024, while stopping a Detroit woman in a school parking lot in Melvindale for expired plates and no insurance, Furman allegedly tasered the woman while forcing her out of her vehicle.—
Tresa Baldas,
Freep.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
The air traffic control worker who went by Lilian, discussed the incident in a TikTok video, saying the child was prohibited from flying because of his expired passport.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Dynamic, Self-Evolving Customer Journeys Static journey maps are quickly becoming obsolete as customer journeys grow more fluid, stretching across devices, time zones and emotional states.—
Asif Hasan,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
This rule, Grimsley says, is designed to be adaptable, and be able to shift with the pace of technology—a recognition that when regulation and approvals take too long, the technology at issue risks becoming obsolete by the time it can be implemented.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinct. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share