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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of extinguishing
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
The police department thanked the Westminster Fire Department for quickly extinguishing the flames.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 12 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
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
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
The police department thanked the Westminster Fire Department for quickly extinguishing the flames.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 12 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguishing
Verb
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Those sharp fragments can cause choking, become lodged in the digestive tract, or even puncture the stomach or intestines.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
15 June 2026
-
Police investigation after choking death Police opened their investigation due to the unusual nature of Medina's death.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Rather than destroying employment, AI would improve small-business competitiveness, seeding novel job categories around AI development, oversight, and maintenance.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
11 Dec. 2025
-
This week's Thai attacks, which stem from a long-running border dispute between the two Southeast Asian nations, have also forced more than 20,000 from their homes in several communities, the Cambodian ministry said, along with destroying infrastructure, damaging temples disrupting public services.—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The snow was shushing off the roof of the garage and down on the driveway.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
-
After tackling a lesbian Christmas rom-com, as well as bringing Tegan and Sara’s childhood to screen, shushing a shouting lesbian would be a walk in the park.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them,
3 July 2025
Verb
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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.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
-
The resulting wine is quenching and effortless—layered white peach, jasmine, lime pith, and an intriguing minerality.—
Kate Bernot,
Outside,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Phase one, tentatively scheduled for June 2026 to August 2027, includes demolishing several buildings, upgrading library fire alarms and readying central campus for construction.—
Gqlshare,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Dec. 2025
-
The demolition proposal went before the historic preservation commission under the city’s review rules, which call for taking a closer look before demolishing older buildings that could be historic and considering alternatives or options for reuse.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These practices reveal a government intent not only on silencing words but on erasing belief itself.—
Oscar Biscet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
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But as the game wound down to the final minutes of regulation, Mobley drilled a monster 3, silencing the Miami home crowd with less than two minutes in regulation.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
19 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The fire spread to other trees and nearby brush, burning about half an acre and blanketing the area in smoke, according to KNN.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
Whipping winds can quickly spread the flames, and with the dry brush blanketing hills across South Orange County, minutes matter.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The antics each week involved lovable Gilligan ruining a plan to get the gang rescued, but also ogling the bombshell Ginger (Tina Louise) and getting annoyed by Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus).—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguishing. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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