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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extinguish
The Qatari Defense Ministry said a drone targeted a commercial ship coming from Abu Dhabi into a southern port, setting a small fire that was extinguished.
—
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Each fill provides up to five hours of burntime, and the set also includes a metal snuffer to extinguish the flames.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
There was a brief engine fire that was quickly extinguished by the Denver Fire Department, the airport said in a statement early Saturday.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As dissidents are detained, journalists jailed, and freedom of expression extinguished, lawyers are often the last line of defense.
—Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Each fill provides up to five hours of burntime, and the set also includes a metal snuffer to extinguish the flames.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
There was a brief engine fire that was quickly extinguished by the Denver Fire Department, the airport said in a statement early Saturday.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As dissidents are detained, journalists jailed, and freedom of expression extinguished, lawyers are often the last line of defense.
—Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
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The intensifying conflict in the Middle East has choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil, natural gas and critical raw materials.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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The lawsuit also claims officers choked Day and slammed him against a wall, eventually coercing him into confessing to killing Irving and Garcia.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Covers personal property used to secure a loan as collateral if it's destroyed.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The Giants offense got shushed Wednesday night by Shohei Ohtani, and their hitters went down almost as quietly against right-hander Emmet Sheehan.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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My mother would shush him and change the subject.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Verb
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If Sprite in any fashion quenches your summer thirst, other refreshing sips to look for include Sprite Lymonade, which gets extra citrus flavor from lemonade, along with Sprite Chill Mango Citrus, Sprite Chill Cherry Lime, and Sprite Tropical Mix.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 May 2026
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My need to roam was quenched by her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
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There, on the Hudson River waterfront, David Wojnarowicz wrote poems and painted murals alongside Luis Frangella and Mike Bidlo, while Peter Hujar and Dirk Rowntree photographed scenes of impromptu happenings and performances, before the site was demolished in 1984.—
Natalia Torija,
Curbed,
14 May 2026
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Playing in Cincinnati, just about 100 miles away from his hometown of Louisville, Daylen Lile demolished a home run in the 10th inning on Wednesday to help the Washington Nationals earn an 8-7 comeback win over the Cincinnati Reds.—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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That, or the PGA of America dialed things up to silence the haters.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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The commission hopes its report will silence those who doubted survivors' stories, Elkayam-Levy says.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Come winter, when snow blankets the area, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular.—
Vivian Chung,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
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The picturesque beaches that Southern California is known for look more like landfills as piles of debris blanket the landscape.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, it has been held in ten different cities, including Las Vegas, where a red carpet was constructed atop the Bellagio’s fountain pool, and Nashville, where rowdy attendees ruined bachelorette parties on Broadway.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Many riads were in a state of disrepair, crammed with striking examples of traditional craftsmanship going to ruin.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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