as in defunct
no longer existing
a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
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Recent Examples of extinct
According to this theory, those now-extinct megafauna—the giant ground sloths and the giant beavers, the mastodons and mammoths, and even the lions and dire wolves—were relatively quickly hunted to extinction.
—
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Like Temminck’s pangolin or coequal branches of government, retirement is in danger of going extinct.
—Joshua Rivera, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
Sea stars almost went extinct along the West Coast a decade ago.
—Casey Parks, Washington Post, 6 June 2026
Tasmanian devils — agile, mostly nocturnal animals that can roam for 10 miles in a single night — have been extinct on the Australian mainland for more than 3,000 years.
—CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Like Temminck’s pangolin or coequal branches of government, retirement is in danger of going extinct.
—Joshua Rivera, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
Sea stars almost went extinct along the West Coast a decade ago.
—Casey Parks, Washington Post, 6 June 2026
Tasmanian devils — agile, mostly nocturnal animals that can roam for 10 miles in a single night — have been extinct on the Australian mainland for more than 3,000 years.
—CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinct
Adjective
-
Pruner is an industry veteran locally, having been part of the inaugural team at Empress Tavern and worked at Obo’, Mulvaney’s B&L and the now-defunct Woodlake Tavern, among other places.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
-
The Justice Department subsequently appealed an earlier order by Eaton to make all businesses that paid the now-defunct import taxes eligible for refunds plus interest.—
Mae Anderson,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Suddenly, photos, videos, or important documents are just… gone.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
15 May 2026
-
Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Toss expired toiletries, old school papers, worn clothes, and unused winter gear to simplify your space.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
1 June 2026
-
In the bathroom, replace your toothbrush and clean your shower curtain every three months, and toss expired medications.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
Its older and obsolete buildings have for years been losing office tenants to sleek new skyscrapers that popped up to the west along the Chicago River or in Fulton Market.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
Simply speaking, much of our levee on private data is becoming obsolete.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinct. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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