Definition of extinguishnext
1
as in to choke
to cause to cease burning the fire in the skillet was quickly extinguished by slamming the lid on

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2
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of a fatal blunder that extinguished all hope that the team would actually win the play-offs

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3
as in to shush
to stop the noise or speech of her final, telling point extinguished her opponents on the city council

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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 extinguish The strike caused a fire on board that was extinguished, and all crew members were reported safe, UKMTO said. — Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026 The fire was upgraded to a second alarm but was canceled after firefighters brought the fire under control and extinguished it within 30 minutes. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within an hour of the crash, but the four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, Bilodeau said. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 The fire department had to cut a hole in the roof to extinguish the fire. — Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
  • There is a fear that a company will be forced to dilute shareholders or choke itself with expensive debt to build factories to fulfill orders.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The woman denied the allegations, and Ross hit her in the chest several times, the report says, and choked her, restricting her breathing by twisting the collar of her hoodie.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Although much of the population in Java converted to Islam and Borobudur was abandoned, it was not destroyed.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Careers are destroyed, lawsuits follow, and administrators calculate their exposure.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim went to 3-0 for the week with a crowd-shushing rally from 2 down to a 2-and-1 victory over Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • His interactions with Daemon (Matt Smith) last season, going so far as to shush him at one point, were a breath of fresh air.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • After running the gauntlet of crash barriers and hordes of fans, guests were treated to salty French fries and greasy burgers, with gin tonics and martinis to quench their thirst.
    — Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This super moisturizing, yet ultra-light gel cream quenches thirsty skin and increases hydration.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • After more than 80 years, crews this week demolished a historic bridge that carried travelers across the Mississippi River between Missouri and downstate Illinois.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Trump recently said that if he could not be credited for renovations on the building, the center would be demolished.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • What’s worse, the law put the onus on them to ask to be silenced.
    — Gretchen Carlson, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • History was repeating, ancient bonds once damaged in war, silenced, and soothed in the quiet moments after.
    — Nicky Robertson, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Iraqi capital is blanketed with mechanical cranes building huge apartment complexes, malls and glitzy restaurants – although both the apartments and restaurants are unaffordable for most Iraqis.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Here, flood maps record the risk from obvious threats like hurricanes, with high-risk zones blanketing the area.
    — Michael Phillis, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Some suburbs battled soil erosion, which ruined rivers and contaminated drinking water.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Seaver also allegedly threatened to start a podcast dedicated to ruining Parton’s image unless he was paid.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 28 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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