extinguish

verb

ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish How to pronounce extinguish (audio)
Definition of extinguishnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shush
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extinguish The Kia caught fire after the collision, though bystanders were able to extinguish it. — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Aug. 2026 Officials urged people not to leave burning debris or campfires unattended and to extinguish them completely. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 The three-alarm fire at the Mariposa Park Apartments on the city’s west side left more than 50 people without homes and took 30 units of fire equipment to extinguish, officials with the Fort Worth Fire Department said. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026 Emergency crews worked under the threat of additional strikes to put out the fire, and had to cut through the flooring between two building levels to extinguish smoldering materials, as per Ukrainian government platform United24. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
  1. choke
  2. destroy
  3. shush
  4. quench
  5. demolish
  6. silence
  7. blanket
  8. ruin
Verb
  • Almost constant air raids in Kyiv have now reached their third day, choking the economy in the Ukrainian capital and severely disrupting civilian life more than 4½ years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Both victims were illegally choked to death by white police officers.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • In 2025, Ukraine smuggled over 100 drones into Russia inside cargo trucks to conduct strikes that damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia’s active bomber fleet and caused approximately $7 billion in damages.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some 36,000 houses and buildings were destroyed or damaged, and more than 2,000 people are still living in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • His interactions with Daemon (Matt Smith) last season, going so far as to shush him at one point, were a breath of fresh air.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Staff Author, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Definition of shush
Verb
  • Through a blend of camellia alba, blue ginger, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E, this antioxidant-rich mist delivers not only a refreshingly cool sensation, but ensures your skin is protected against antioxidants and quenched.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Footage aired by local media showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the tank, with black and orange smoke rising in the sky as firefighters spray what appears to be foam or water in efforts to quench the intense fire.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of quench
Verb
  • Smashing the grid of the encyclopedic museum has meant that Govan literally had to demolish the institution’s former structures.
    — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Now it will be demolished and replaced as part of a $250 million sports complex project.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • El-Sayed’s fellow Democrats are not trying to silence or punish Piker.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The expressions of dissent were silenced with unspeakable violence.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of silence
Verb
  • Its vines blanket trees and power lines, turning roadside clearings into walls of green.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Even today, a quick glance at The Times’ library reveals an almost supernatural ability to blanket a beat.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of blanket
Verb
  • The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin

Browse Nearby Words

extinctions
extinguish
extinguishable
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Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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