as in defunct
no longer existing
a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 extinct
Scientists identified a variant that's also present in a small fraction of modern humans — as well as one of our extinct cousins called Denisovans.
—
ABC News, 13 May 2026
Yi qi is the name given to an extinct dinosaur from the family Scansoriopterygidae.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
But the modern dragon has an extinct relative, Varanus priscus, that was much larger, likely the largest venomous animal to have ever lived.
—Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026
This South African antelope went extinct around 1800 after being hunted during the colonial era.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
ABC News, 13 May 2026
Yi qi is the name given to an extinct dinosaur from the family Scansoriopterygidae.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
But the modern dragon has an extinct relative, Varanus priscus, that was much larger, likely the largest venomous animal to have ever lived.
—Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026
This South African antelope went extinct around 1800 after being hunted during the colonial era.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinct
Adjective
-
Electric vehicles have been widely adopted in China, thanks in part to years of now-defunct government subsidies and a fast-growing network of charging stations.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
-
The agency’s Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries portal, which launched on April 20, could see refund requests for up to $166 billion in tariffs collected under the now-defunct IEEPA order.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Retaining Hall, 39, keeps one familiar face from Dart’s rookie year on the offensive side of the building for his second NFL season, with Brian Daboll, Mike Kafka and Shea Tierney all long gone.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
State officials reported minimal implementation problems, with exceptions allowing senior citizens to use expired licenses and voters verified by poll workers who have known them for six months or longer.—
John Raby,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
The fee for an expired meter increases to $80, up from $50.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Back then, an obsolete constitutional formula enabled as few as 12% of the people to elect a majority of state senators.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
But in the lightning-fast tech industry, what’s cutting-edge today can become obsolete tomorrow.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinct. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
