as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the state's population of moose has been replenished, having once been hunted almost to extinction
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 extinction
The Pacific leatherback populations are most at risk of extinction.
—
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Back office work appears to be on the brink of extinction and AI agents are leading the charge.
—Adam Bowen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
This sixth mass extinction, also referred to as the Holocene or Anthropocene extinction, is described as ongoing and caused by human activities.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
In comparison with background levels of extinction, all of our sources said that current extinction rates are much higher.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Back office work appears to be on the brink of extinction and AI agents are leading the charge.
—Adam Bowen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
This sixth mass extinction, also referred to as the Holocene or Anthropocene extinction, is described as ongoing and caused by human activities.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
In comparison with background levels of extinction, all of our sources said that current extinction rates are much higher.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinction
Noun
-
Leave the innocents, the children, the ones who just want to live a simple life, out of the bombing and destruction.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
-
The trauma of witnessing such destruction informed her later activism, her insistence on performing for integrated audiences, and her rejection of American racial constraints.—
Sonari Glinton,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
The narrow streets bend, wrap back on themselves, and otherwise create directional havoc.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
24 June 2025
-
The consent decree clears a major hurdle for the Omnicom-IPG deal, with the companies seeking to merge as artificial intelligence prepares to wreck havoc across the industry.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
Gauff, by contrast, was 20-3 at that stage, including a loss to Sofia Kenin at Wimbledon in 2023.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 July 2025
-
Businesses unknowingly employ these fictitious vendors, incurring massive financial losses and data breaches.—
Steve Durbin,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The executives expect demolition to begin in 2026, with the project completed in five to seven years.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
-
Landmarks Illinois called attention to Oak Cottage two years ago as one of nine culturally and architecturally significant sites across the state that faces demolition and is worth preserving.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinction. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share