extinguish
Americanverb (used with object)
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to put out (a fire, light, etc.); put out the flame of (something burning or lighted).
to extinguish a candle.
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to put an end to or bring to an end; wipe out of existence; annihilate.
to extinguish hope.
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to obscure or eclipse, as by superior brilliance.
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Law. to discharge (a debt), as by payment.
verb
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to put out or quench (a light, flames, etc)
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to remove or destroy entirely; annihilate
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archaic to eclipse or obscure by or as if by superior brilliance
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law to discharge (a debt)
Other Word Forms
- extinguishable adjective
- extinguisher noun
- extinguishment noun
- nonextinguishable adjective
- nonextinguished adjective
- preextinguish verb (used with object)
- preextinguishment noun
- self-extinguishing adjective
- unextinguishable adjective
- unextinguished adjective
Etymology
Origin of extinguish
1535–45; < Latin ex ( s ) tingu ( ere ) ( ex- ex- 1 + stinguere to quench) + -ish 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Each year, officers drive down the parade route and tell people to extinguish them, she said.
From Los Angeles Times
The Hammonton Police Department reported that one of the helicopters was engulfed in flames by the time it crash landed on the ground, and emergency services were working to extinguish the fire.
From BBC
The Los Angeles Fire Department has faced criticism for not fully extinguishing the Lachman fire.
From Los Angeles Times
By about 20:00 the large flames appeared to have been extinguished, while firefighters on ladders continued to tackle the remnants of the blaze.
From BBC
Doing so could extinguish innovation and condemn China to second-tier status in the global AI race behind the U.S., which is taking a more hands-off approach toward policing AI.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
