as in devastations
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
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Recent Examples of extinctions
For example, in Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, invasive species like rats and feral cats are considered one of the main causes of extinctions, including to the islands’ famous birds.
—
Jessica Beaudette, The Conversation, 11 Oct. 2025
All part of our great age of extinctions.
—Robert Minhinnick, The Dial, 2 Oct. 2025
Yet, there are some extinctions that have felt significantly more tragic than others.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Waves of trilobite extinctions swept the oceans, and an ancient planet better known for its explosion of life now saw the ambition of this frenzied new animal world periodically stifled under a high-CO2 hothouse.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
The analysis also found that the majority of extinctions took place among genera that lived exclusively on islands.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Unlike the dinosaurs, however, researchers and wildlife officials are working to slow down or even stop these extinctions — and sometimes bring animals back from the brink.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
The key for the future may be keeping rates of environmental change slow enough to avoid extinctions.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Environmental advocates have warned that this change would accelerate extinctions.
—Lois Parshley, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2025
Jessica Beaudette, The Conversation, 11 Oct. 2025
All part of our great age of extinctions.
—Robert Minhinnick, The Dial, 2 Oct. 2025
Yet, there are some extinctions that have felt significantly more tragic than others.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Waves of trilobite extinctions swept the oceans, and an ancient planet better known for its explosion of life now saw the ambition of this frenzied new animal world periodically stifled under a high-CO2 hothouse.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
The analysis also found that the majority of extinctions took place among genera that lived exclusively on islands.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Unlike the dinosaurs, however, researchers and wildlife officials are working to slow down or even stop these extinctions — and sometimes bring animals back from the brink.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
The key for the future may be keeping rates of environmental change slow enough to avoid extinctions.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Environmental advocates have warned that this change would accelerate extinctions.
—Lois Parshley, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinctions
Noun
-
The Sabres started 0-3, with two of those losses coming at home.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Many of those drivers could have stemmed or erased their losses simply by waiting for another year or two and paying off some or all of the remaining loan balance, Drury said.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The four demolitions were temporarily paused by the Valentine neighborhood association’s application to place part of Valentine on the local historic register.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Back in his day, hangdog stoner Bob (DiCaprio) used to be quite the revolutionary as the demolitions expert for a small but effective anti-establishment outfit called the French 75.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinctions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinctions. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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