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
Relevance
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 next phase of operations will focus on accessing and extinguishing remaining fire within more interior areas of the building.
—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Authorities cautioned that extinguishing the fire could take days or even weeks.
—
Iris Salem,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
On June 17, after extinguishing the blaze, police entered the home but didn’t find Sanchez-Muñoz.
—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Alongside long-standing fire deficits, which resulted from the practice of quickly extinguishing fires rather than allowing low-level fires to burn away forest debris, these factors have escalated the potential for large fires in the West.
—
Mukesh Kumar,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Firefighters then shifted to mop-up operations, extinguishing hotspots within the containment lines.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
The ensuing 11 pitches were all strikes to end the game, extinguishing the Dodgers’ hope and showing again how the Padres are doing this.
—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
This year, participants took part in training courses focused on search and rescue, removing victims from under a subway car, extinguishing a propane fire, entering a burning building and more.
—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Such reins on an industry that has billed itself as capable of extinguishing humankind are, theoretically, in everyone’s interest.
—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Authorities cautioned that extinguishing the fire could take days or even weeks.
—
Iris Salem,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
On June 17, after extinguishing the blaze, police entered the home but didn’t find Sanchez-Muñoz.
—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Alongside long-standing fire deficits, which resulted from the practice of quickly extinguishing fires rather than allowing low-level fires to burn away forest debris, these factors have escalated the potential for large fires in the West.
—
Mukesh Kumar,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Firefighters then shifted to mop-up operations, extinguishing hotspots within the containment lines.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
The ensuing 11 pitches were all strikes to end the game, extinguishing the Dodgers’ hope and showing again how the Padres are doing this.
—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
This year, participants took part in training courses focused on search and rescue, removing victims from under a subway car, extinguishing a propane fire, entering a burning building and more.
—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Such reins on an industry that has billed itself as capable of extinguishing humankind are, theoretically, in everyone’s interest.
—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguishing
Verb
-
According to the criminal complaint, the boy told police Diggs began choking him before dragging him into the nearby alley.
-
Officer Nicholas Samartino of the Woodbridge Police Department responded to a report that a 5-day-old infant was choking and experiencing difficulty breathing back in May, according to police.
Verb
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Strikes and artillery fire were reported across Nabatieh district, destroying homes and residential buildings, according to NNA.
-
One video shows a surface to air missile hitting a drone but not destroying it; the drone crashes to the ground and explodes.
Verb
-
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.
-
Wine country with kids in tow doesn’t have to mean a stressful afternoon of shushing and screen time.
Verb
-
By quenching dryness, the formula delivers instantly glowy skin and smooths the appearance of fine lines (which are more prominent when skin is dehydrated).
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In particular, this energy could push away gas and dust that serves as the raw material for star formation, thus quenching star birth in galaxies.
Verb
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Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.
-
In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.
Verb
-
The man seems intent on silencing David forever.
-
That protein keeps the seals between your gut cells closed by silencing the genes that would otherwise loosen them.
Verb
-
Clamminess blanketing your hands.
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The crowd spilled over to Le Bar, with its cerulean fabric swirls blanketing the ceiling, a nod to the hotel’s haute couture history.
Verb
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The Cowboys are like most NFL teams that roll out a synthetic surface that has a grass feel, and is vastly superior to the old knee-ruining ways of AstroTurf.
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The Dodgers are ruining baseball!
Cite this Entry
“Extinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguishing. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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