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 Rather than attempt to extinguish the flames, Reacher tosses in more fuel. — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025 Crews battled the fire before bringing it under control and extinguishing hot spots around 7 p.m. There were no injuries, said Lt. Travis Francis, a fire department spokesman. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2025 By Monday morning, all visible flames had been extinguished and smoke-eaters were taking preventative measures to stop new fires from sparking. — Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025 Ukrainian authorities reported a second strike on the same area while emergency personnel were clearing rubble and extinguishing fires, which killed a rescue worker. — Katya Soldak, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 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. douse
  8. ruin
Verb
  • Drummond stops choking Mark and backs off slowly, then smashes the pistol from Lorne’s hand.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Our beaches are full of these pieces of plastic that end up choking our marine life and polluting our waterways.
    — Steve Padilla, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Tornadoes pose a severe risk to life and property, with their powerful winds capable of destroying homes, overturning vehicles, and uprooting trees.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Taking on the role of a teenage boy named Chrono, players have to travel through time and assemble a team to stop a horrifying creature named Lavos from destroying the world.
    — Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • In his 2023 address, President Joe Biden was repeatedly met with heckles and boos from some Republican lawmakers, leading then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to shush them, according to CNN.
    — Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Duke did things to Illinois on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, in a 110-67 eyeful that wasn’t as close as the final score, to shush talk of a weak ACC potentially costing Cooper and the fighting Flaggs a No. 1 seed.
    — Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of shush
Verb
  • Coincidentally, Meyer asked for an ice-cold bottle of buttermilk to quench his thirst after 500-miles of racing on a hot Memorial Day in Indiana.
    — Bruce Martin, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • So this deal must happen, to the very end, with everyone in the region finally able to quench our common desperate need for solace.
    — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of quench
Verb
  • Many have long since been demolished or altered beyond recognition, but some of the most beautiful have miraculously kept their original structures and decoration intact.
    — The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Most of the historic neighborhood theater buildings were either demolished or destroyed by fire, often replaced by parking lots or highways.
    — Michael Wells, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • Now, Homan’s administration wants to use the awesome powers of the federal law enforcement apparatus to intimidate and silence those who disagree with their policy agenda.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • While Politkovskaya was ultimately silenced, her legacy lives on and her story serves as a reminder of the dangers that journalists face and the importance of protecting their right to report the news, without fear of death or reprisal.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of silence
Verb
  • Still, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned Sunday that wind gusts of up to 40 mph were likely, complicating efforts to completely douse the embers.
    — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The mechanics used all the fire extinguishers in the shop, in an effort to douse the flames, before evacuating.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of douse
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2025
  • But those stocks were mined with some gusto, and large portions of the island were essentially ruined.
    — Nick Miller, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
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 27 Mar. 2025.

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