as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the state's population of moose has been replenished, having once been hunted almost to extinction
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 extinction
To stave off extinction, the Fish and Wildlife Service listed the lizard as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act last spring.
—
Benji Jones, Vox, 10 Feb. 2025
The research could be pivotal for Australia’s conservation efforts, given the country’s urgent need to protect its endemic species after having one of the world’s worst extinction records.
—Eric Cheung, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
Curiously, the Trump White House seems to think that protecting Main Street Americans from rip-offs is an argument for the bureau’s extinction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
In Mason’s view, humans, as the only species known to have an awareness of extinction, have a unique moral obligation to preserve other life-forms from dangers such as asteroid strikes, nuclear war, or climate catastrophes.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Benji Jones, Vox, 10 Feb. 2025
The research could be pivotal for Australia’s conservation efforts, given the country’s urgent need to protect its endemic species after having one of the world’s worst extinction records.
—Eric Cheung, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
Curiously, the Trump White House seems to think that protecting Main Street Americans from rip-offs is an argument for the bureau’s extinction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
In Mason’s view, humans, as the only species known to have an awareness of extinction, have a unique moral obligation to preserve other life-forms from dangers such as asteroid strikes, nuclear war, or climate catastrophes.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinction
Noun
-
For the United States, high rates of job destruction—even if accompanied by faster productivity growth—could be devastating politically.—
Matthew J. Slaughter,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
The scale of destruction in Ukraine The Kyiv School of Economics puts the destruction Russia has inflicted on Ukraine at $155 billion, by replacement cost.—
Dave Lawler,
Axios,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Protecting The Future Of 5G And AI The U.S. government has reported that Chinese nation-state threat actor groups have been causing havoc to U.S. critical infrastructure, including telecommunications services.—
Anand Oswal,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
-
For over a year, bird flu has caused havoc in the farming industry, leading to millions of dead birds and thousands of sick cows – and causing egg prices to run up.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The firm’s quarterly loss narrowed to $809.7 million from $912.1 million in the year-ago period.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The safeguards are important, the lawmakers said, because identity theft or bankruptcy can mean a loss of a security clearance or the end of a service member’s career.—
Melissa Chan,
NBC News,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Considering how Bickell became a one-man demolition company in the playoffs, that’s no surprise.—
Scott Powers,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Plans are still in the works, but managers are exploring all options and may consider at least partial demolition of the mall.—
Chrissy Suttles,
Axios,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinction. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share