1
as in choking
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 destroying
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
her final, telling point extinguished her opponents on the city council
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extinguishing
The cigar ashes were traced to Hilary Brooke Inman, 38, of Marion, who faces a misdemeanor charge of starting a woodland fire and not extinguishing it, state officials said.
—
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
There was a risk of electrocution, so firefighters needed to confirm with Xcel Energy that power to the area was out before extinguishing the vehicle fire, Smith said.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 30 Mar. 2026
The building's sprinkler system put out the majority of the flames before crews finished extinguishing them.
—Raul Trey Lopez, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Mar. 2026
He is also accused of setting fire on March 2 to an electrical vault at a warehouse, with the fire eventually self-extinguishing, according to the district attorney’s office.
—City News Service, Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Additional San Juan National Forest firefighters hiked into the area on Tuesday to assist with cutting fire lines and extinguishing heavy fuels.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
In addition to extinguishing fires, the Unmanned Firefighting Robot can collect and digitize data from disaster scenes.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
Should a fire break out, the walls, seat backs, and tray tables are made with self-extinguishing polymers that won’t give off toxic fumes.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The clock might have struck midnight for a team of such enormous expectations and possibility, losing 83-74 in the orange haze of Moby Arena and likely extinguishing their already dwindling hopes of an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
There was a risk of electrocution, so firefighters needed to confirm with Xcel Energy that power to the area was out before extinguishing the vehicle fire, Smith said.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 30 Mar. 2026
The building's sprinkler system put out the majority of the flames before crews finished extinguishing them.
—Raul Trey Lopez, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Mar. 2026
He is also accused of setting fire on March 2 to an electrical vault at a warehouse, with the fire eventually self-extinguishing, according to the district attorney’s office.
—City News Service, Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Additional San Juan National Forest firefighters hiked into the area on Tuesday to assist with cutting fire lines and extinguishing heavy fuels.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
In addition to extinguishing fires, the Unmanned Firefighting Robot can collect and digitize data from disaster scenes.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
Should a fire break out, the walls, seat backs, and tray tables are made with self-extinguishing polymers that won’t give off toxic fumes.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The clock might have struck midnight for a team of such enormous expectations and possibility, losing 83-74 in the orange haze of Moby Arena and likely extinguishing their already dwindling hopes of an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguishing
Verb
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The pair have been in physical altercations in the past, including Manning's 2012 arrest for allegedly punching, scratching, kicking and choking Hartman – whom media outlets have referred to as Manning's former make-up artist and assistant – and slamming her head against the floor and wall.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The man alerted jail deputies that his cellmate, 35-year-old Vincent Chacon, was choking and needed help in the early morning of June 30, according to a probable cause affidavit.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Will Trump adopt Putin-style tactics by destroying power plants or even desalination plants in what could amount to an attack on the beleaguered Iranian people themselves?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the weeks since, fears of a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon have grown, with Israel moving to establish a buffer zone in the area, leveling homes and destroying bridges over the Litani River, which connects the south to the rest of Lebanon, while taking control of what crossings remain.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Levy sat on the floor, watching like a proud father and shushing whisperers.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Top sleep aid for kids This extremely popular sound machine uses an authentic human voice to calm babies to sleep with a calming, shushing sound.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The resulting wine is quenching and effortless—layered white peach, jasmine, lime pith, and an intriguing minerality.—
Kate Bernot,
Outside,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This rich yet silky balm delivers up to 24 hours of hydration, instantly quenching dry, chapped lips and locking in moisture for lasting softness.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Plans call for demolishing the three-story former office building on the site and constructing a single-story, 30-foot-tall building containing approximately 26,000 square feet of event space, according to information shared by the village.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The city’s long-term plan calls for demolishing the existing facility and replacing it with a new permanent building.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As war descended on Iran, the regime once again cut off internet and communications across the country, controlling its people and silencing their messages of resilience.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of silencing the public and turning them away, Democrats should stay and do the job they were elected to do.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Spring is officially in the air in North Carolina, as marked by the yellowish-green pollen that has begun blanketing everything from cars to patio furniture.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Palisades and Eaton fires burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed at least 12,000 buildings, blanketing the ocean in ash for up to 100 miles offshore.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And thanks to their merino wool blend—helpful for moisture control and odor resistance—I did’t have to worry about ruining good shoes with gross foot sweat.—
Christa Sgobba,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The young Wolverines had already taken their leave with figurative Texas tread marks ruining their silky white, maize and blue uniforms.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguishing. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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