1
as in to choke
to cause to cease burning
the fire in the skillet was quickly extinguished by slamming the lid on
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extinguish
Firefighters took about 20 minutes to extinguish the flames, said fire spokesperson Andy McKellar.
—
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Soon after the fires were extinguished, homeowners started to complain about how insurance companies were responding to the disaster.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
Inglewood maintains the legal dispute can be easily extinguished by simply following the precedent of City of Moreno Valley.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Jan. 2026
After the fire was extinguished, an investigation began to determine the cause of the blaze.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Soon after the fires were extinguished, homeowners started to complain about how insurance companies were responding to the disaster.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
Inglewood maintains the legal dispute can be easily extinguished by simply following the precedent of City of Moreno Valley.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Jan. 2026
After the fire was extinguished, an investigation began to determine the cause of the blaze.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
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This isn't the first time - or even the second - Johnson has used his training to save a child from choking.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
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Local news outlets, however, reported that the actor has been in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Seoul after collapsing while choking on food at his home.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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In the Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames burned for 31 days, scorching 37 square miles and destroying more than 6,000 structures, most of them homes.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After once rising from her seat to scold a man recording the broadcast on his phone to shushing in-studio viewers during an interview with Zohran Mamdani, Whoopi Goldberg just wrote another chapter in her comical relationship with The View's studio audience.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
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That shush in the art dealership was loud.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Companies like Amazon and Google have turned to nuclear power to quench their insatiable need for electricity.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
17 Dec. 2025
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Think of the 5-3-1 rule like a beauty treatment for the soul, rehydrating bonds like a hyaluronic acid serum quenches thirsty skin.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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It is designed to mirror the East Wing addition after the previous building was demolished last year.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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In order to do so, the city has to acquire the land and purchase the properties — valued at $22 million total — and demolish them, causing several businesses to close or relocate to make way for the project.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Do not let the voices of my courageous compatriots be silenced.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Dan Piper, a teacher who spoke at the vigil, told those gathered that the federal officials are hoping to silence dissent.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The growing pace of crypto ATM fraud has some policymakers pursuing bans and others asking why the nation is blanketed in these machines in the first place.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
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As the final whistle blew, as Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ pass to the end zone fell incomplete with Ethan O’Connor and Zechariah Poyser blanketing De’Zhaun Stripling in coverage, Bissainthe watched as his teammates began to flood the field.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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This will either change your life or ruin you.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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