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
Those flames of common moral purpose could not be extinguished by the loss of any single individual.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Firefighters went into the building to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished.
—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2026
Crews stayed on scene until nightfall to monitor and extinguish hot spots.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
That unlikely scenario was extinguished by Algeria and Jordan have now been eliminated from the tournament.
—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Firefighters went into the building to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished.
—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2026
Crews stayed on scene until nightfall to monitor and extinguish hot spots.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
That unlikely scenario was extinguished by Algeria and Jordan have now been eliminated from the tournament.
—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
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Police say after entering the store, Tabor allegedly randomly picked out a woman and started choking her.
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Connecticut’s largest cities also struggle with the state’s highest property tax rates, which chokes business growth and, in turn, shifts more burden onto residential owners.
Verb
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Both victims died in separate mobile homes that were destroyed about two to three miles apart, Bullard said.
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If Iran’s atomic weapons infrastructure was destroyed in this war, funneling hundreds of billions into the country can’t be used to rebuild it.
Verb
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As the moment unfolded, Savannah shushed the future king and even briefly placed her hand over his mouth in an effort to keep him composed.
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Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.
Verb
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Water does far more than quench thirst.
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By quenching dryness, the formula delivers instantly glowy skin and smooths the appearance of fine lines (which are more prominent when skin is dehydrated).
Verb
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The existing residence was demolished, though plans to build a new house never moved forward.
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The military has bulldozed or demolished wide swaths of the zone, and the area, where most of Gaza’s agricultural land lies, is inaccessible to Palestinians.
Verb
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Davis crafted a marquee lineup that included Springsteen, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, The Killers and Paul Simon, but a massive thunderstorm silenced the show before many of the top names could perform.
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Your method of dismissing your flippant remarks, then, is probably the next best option to silence.
Verb
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There are countless reasons why blanket bans don’t work, said Chris Stokel-Walker in The Independent.
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Mount Vesuvius’ eruption blanketed Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum in ash and pumice (a porous volcanic glass), preserving the infamous tragedy and its victims in astounding detail.
Verb
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Don't Worry Too Much About Saltwater Or Chlorine Many people assume a quick swim in the ocean or pool will ruin their sunglasses.
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Could the Boston Celtics or another team ruin the Heat’s plan, swooping in and trading for Antetokounmpo this offseason and getting a long-term commitment from him?
Cite this Entry
“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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