EXTINCTION Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

extinction

noun

ik-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən

Definition of extinction

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 Instead, rather than risking extinction at the capricious will of AI, humanity will benefit enormously from AI’s ability to self-optimize. — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026 Still others worry that by raising alarms about a hypothetical extinction risk, some may be seeking to direct policymaking in a way that could benefit some companies over others. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 This is what extinction threatens, piece by piece, thread by thread, species by species. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 Home of a fur seal trade leading to an almost extinction of seals, a whaling station, and then many volcanic eruptions leading to the destruction of scientific stations, this island looks like it is cursed. — New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extinction

Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinction

Noun

Sixty-five percent of Gazans agreed that armed resistance had failed to protect Palestinians and had instead brought destruction.

— Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
Look past the 1951 setting, however, and the movie's anti-war message about humanity being on a crash course to destruction has never lost its poignancy.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of destruction

Noun

By then, fire had ravaged the community; the report suggests that incident commanders were unaware of the devastation.

— Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
How to Help Nepal’s Flood Victims Despite the devastation, there has been a beacon of hope.

— Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of devastation

Noun

The devastating loss of the coast has opened up the path for a change in the Saudis’ intolerance for dissent within the anti-Houthi coalition, however.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
The rite symbolizes the deceased's final departure from the world of the living and helps the family come to terms with the loss.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of loss

Noun

Earlier this week, a single Republican senator blocked Democrats' attempts to stop the construction of the arch as well as the demolition of the Kennedy Center.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Phoenix also holds stakes in at least eight other companies providing equipment for the Israeli military ranging from drones to warships to demolition machinery, CNN found.

— Allegra Goodwin, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of demolition

Noun

California’s system of water law dates back to the Gold Rush, when the state government promoted the extermination of Native people to make way for white settlers.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
But hope is not lost in Shelley’s reworking of the bleak vision of postapocalypse as terminal and total extermination of life.

— Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of extermination

Browse Nearby Words

extinct

extinction

extinctions

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinction. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of extinction

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on extinction

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

etiquette

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes