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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extinction
The northern hairy-nosed wombat was teetering on the very edge of extinction.
—
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Mosquitoes, which are not native to Hawaii, could increase the forest birds’ risk of extinction, says the National Park Service.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
This may have been what drove the Tyrannoroter’s lineage to extinction, according to Mann.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
For people accustomed to the idea that nature was eternal and unchanging, Holmes observes, the idea of extinction was profoundly troubling.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Mosquitoes, which are not native to Hawaii, could increase the forest birds’ risk of extinction, says the National Park Service.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
This may have been what drove the Tyrannoroter’s lineage to extinction, according to Mann.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
For people accustomed to the idea that nature was eternal and unchanging, Holmes observes, the idea of extinction was profoundly troubling.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinction
Noun
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He was initially charged in July 2025 and indicted by a grand jury on one count of malicious destruction of government property in August 2025.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Michigan State Police says the suspect now faces 11 felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges that include check fraud and malicious destruction of property.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It's all told from the vantage point of a woman trying to make sense of her life in the face of devastation, sometimes grasping for signs that only hindsight can uncover.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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This has brought generational devastation.—
Stephen Swanson,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ebba Andersson tumbled and snapped the ski binding in the second leg, giving Norway the advantage on a day where warm weather caused slushy corners that created havoc in the early stages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Three minutes of comedy chasing and evasive action ensued before play resumed, only for the four-legged fiend to return to wreak more havoc than the home attack had previously shown.—
Craig Chisnall,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Those market jitters saw over $1 trillion wiped from the market caps of big tech firms, though some stocks have since recovered some of their losses.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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That was Wembanyama, who had 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the World’s first loss and 19 points – including a pair of clutch 3-pointers – in its second.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The demolition of La Brea Bakery forced the closure of the temporary Earl of Sandwich restaurant that had taken over the location during construction of a new permanent Earl of Sandwich location on the west end of Downtown Disney.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
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The measures follow years of accusations by Palestinians that actions by settlers and the military — campaigns of violence, harassment and demolitions — have pushed them from their land.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Steam Treatment An extermination team can also use hot steam or steam foam at temperatures of around 200 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to kill bed bugs.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
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By the middle of the 20th century, decades of aggressive hunting, trapping, and mass poisoning had pushed the Lower 48’s gray wolves to the point of near extermination.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinction. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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