ex·tinct
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)t 
ˈek-ˌstiŋ(k)t
ˈek-ˌstiŋ(k)t
1
a
: no longer burning
b
: no longer active
an extinct volcano
2
: no longer existing
an extinct animal
3
a
: gone out of use : superseded
b
: having no qualified claimant
an extinct title
Synonyms
Examples of extinct in a Sentence
Adjective
Many of these old traditions have since become extinct.
a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024
The species was locally extinct from the Mount Gibson Sanctuary until being reintroduced last April.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
One of the rarest land mammals in North America who were once thought to be extinct, a small population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in 1981 in Wyoming.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
And, there’s the Victorian grassland earless dragon—a miniscule Australian lizard believed to be extinct in 1969.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Once thought to be extinct, southern sea otters’ rebounding population has stalled, stymied by shark bites and parasites.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Investing in pastimes like golf—which would potentially become more popular among his peers, should Fridays at the office go extinct—has become one of his focuses.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
These disadvantages predict that unisexual species should go extinct within at most 100,000 generations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
But after decades of habitat destruction, these handsome insects are now fragmented and locally extinct, holding out in the wettest fens, valleys, and peat bogs of the New Forest and Dorset.
—Matthew Ponsford, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
Morgan Greene, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
The species had gone from extraordinarily populous to extinct in a human life span.
—David Biello, Scientific American, 27 June 2014
Many experts worry that if this pattern continues, the disease will eventually drive the species from endangered to extinct.
—Jason Bittel, Animals, 10 Dec. 2020
Adjective
The enormous salmon lived during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, when Earth was much warmer, and went extinct as the planet began to cool off.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024
The species was locally extinct from the Mount Gibson Sanctuary until being reintroduced last April.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
One of the rarest land mammals in North America who were once thought to be extinct, a small population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in 1981 in Wyoming.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
And, there’s the Victorian grassland earless dragon—a miniscule Australian lizard believed to be extinct in 1969.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Once thought to be extinct, southern sea otters’ rebounding population has stalled, stymied by shark bites and parasites.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Investing in pastimes like golf—which would potentially become more popular among his peers, should Fridays at the office go extinct—has become one of his focuses.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
These disadvantages predict that unisexual species should go extinct within at most 100,000 generations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
But after decades of habitat destruction, these handsome insects are now fragmented and locally extinct, holding out in the wettest fens, valleys, and peat bogs of the New Forest and Dorset.
—Matthew Ponsford, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
Verb
Of the native species found in Illinois, the majority fall into a range from threatened to extinct, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
—Morgan Greene, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
The species had gone from extraordinarily populous to extinct in a human life span.
—David Biello, Scientific American, 27 June 2014
Many experts worry that if this pattern continues, the disease will eventually drive the species from endangered to extinct.
—Jason Bittel, Animals, 10 Dec. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extinct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to extinct
Dictionary Entries Near extinct
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinct. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
extinct
adjective
ex·tinct
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)t
ˈek-ˌ
ˈek-ˌ
: no longer existing : lacking living representatives
extinct prehistoric animals
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share