1
as in to choke
to cause to cease burning the fire in the skillet was quickly extinguished by slamming the lid on

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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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3
as in to shush
to stop the noise or speech of her final, telling point extinguished her opponents on the city council

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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 extinguish First responders from twelve organizations assisted with efforts to extinguish the fire and evacuate the home’s occupants, including the Adrian, Butler, Central Cass and Rich Hill fire departments. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025 Russian emergency services said the fire was extinguished after seven hours. David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2025 The fire was extinguished by 12:30 a.m. and no one was injured, according to Aurora Fire Rescue. Graeme Taskerud, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2025 The fire, which took 24 days to be extinguished, burned through over six thousand structures, and claimed the lives of at least 12 people, is projected to be the costliest fire in California history. Marissa Muller, WWD, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
Verb
  • Drummond stops choking Mark and backs off slowly, then smashes the pistol from Lorne’s hand.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Our beaches are full of these pieces of plastic that end up choking our marine life and polluting our waterways.
    Steve Padilla, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Residents of states that have been impacted by this weekend's storms have posted photos online showing their homes destroyed by the tornadoes, with roofs fallen completely off, walls caved in and debris on lawns.
    Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Taking on the role of a teenage boy named Chrono, players have to travel through time and assemble a team to stop a horrifying creature named Lavos from destroying the world.
    Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In his 2023 address, President Joe Biden was repeatedly met with heckles and boos from some Republican lawmakers, leading then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to shush them, according to CNN.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Duke did things to Illinois on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, in a 110-67 eyeful that wasn’t as close as the final score, to shush talk of a weak ACC potentially costing Cooper and the fighting Flaggs a No. 1 seed.
    Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The juice quenched a thirst that went beyond physical needs.
    Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • So quench your hair’s thirst now and protect it from future despair with the best hydrating treatments the internet has to offer—as recommended by editors, hairstylists, and dermatologists.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Many have long since been demolished or altered beyond recognition, but some of the most beautiful have miraculously kept their original structures and decoration intact.
    The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Most of the historic neighborhood theater buildings were either demolished or destroyed by fire, often replaced by parking lots or highways.
    Michael Wells, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • While Politkovskaya was ultimately silenced, her legacy lives on and her story serves as a reminder of the dangers that journalists face and the importance of protecting their right to report the news, without fear of death or reprisal.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Now, Homan’s administration wants to use the awesome powers of the federal law enforcement apparatus to intimidate and silence those who disagree with their policy agenda.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Still, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned Sunday that wind gusts of up to 40 mph were likely, complicating efforts to completely douse the embers.
    John Bacon, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The mechanics used all the fire extinguishers in the shop, in an effort to douse the flames, before evacuating.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Alli Jo adds that the kids left school to appear on the date with Grant and the ladies, so Zoe ruined their day, too.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 11 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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