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
The compelling outdoor portion of the La Brea Tar Pits focuses on the Ice Age, with excellent family-friendly programming around climate change, extinct wildlife, excavations, and more.
—
Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Once thought extinct, they were rediscovered in a metal culvert in 1986.
—Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The Frozen Ark, a charity, has amassed 48,000 samples, the majority DNA, including the snow leopard and the Scimitar Horned Oryx (a species extinct in the wild), between multiple sites in the UK.
—Tom Page, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Threatened by rapidly dwindling sea ice and habitat loss as the world warms, over two-thirds of polar bears could go extinct by 2050.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Once thought extinct, they were rediscovered in a metal culvert in 1986.
—Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The Frozen Ark, a charity, has amassed 48,000 samples, the majority DNA, including the snow leopard and the Scimitar Horned Oryx (a species extinct in the wild), between multiple sites in the UK.
—Tom Page, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Threatened by rapidly dwindling sea ice and habitat loss as the world warms, over two-thirds of polar bears could go extinct by 2050.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinct
Adjective
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Hutson, 35, is a frequent collaborator of Phoebe Bridgers' and has accompanied her and her now-defunct supergroup boygenius on tour.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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The dispute means the fund will expire and be defunct, at least until an agreement between the chambers can be reached, which will likely come as part of budget negotiations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Retaining Hall, 39, keeps one familiar face from Dart’s rookie year on the offensive side of the building for his second NFL season, with Brian Daboll, Mike Kafka and Shea Tierney all long gone.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Insights from Washington and Colorado Washington and Colorado are not planning to make any changes to their programs as a result of the expired tax credits, according to government officials in those states.—
Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez,
NPR,
18 Feb. 2026
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Group multiple jars of the same spice together and set aside any expired spices.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In this new era of stakeholder management, however, broad frameworks, generalized commitments, and aspirational language are obsolete.—
Martin Whittaker,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
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If the item still works but is obsolete (like a DVD player or VHS tape deck), try posting it in a local Buy Nothing or Freecycling group.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinct. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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