extinguish
verb (used with object)
to put out (a fire, light, etc.); put out the flame of (something burning or lighted).
was extinguishing
-
past progressiveof extinguish.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
In mid-March, as COVID-19 was extinguishing public life in cities across the world, the scooter company announced that it would pull its signature electric two-wheelers from some areas.
From The Verge ● Apr. 23, 2020
Percy was extinguishing the flames, which had caught his dress, and John Grant was similarly occupied.
From Guy Fawkes or The Gunpowder Treason by William Harrison Ainsworth
A hissing sound soon after showed us that the water, rushing in, was extinguishing the fire burning nearest the ground, though the upper part of the pile of brushwood still crackled and smoked as before.
From In the Wilds of Florida A Tale of Warfare and Hunting by John Steeple Davis
A white robed server was extinguishing the last candle on the altar; only the one red light perpetually vigilant before the sanctuary, made more visible the deep shadows everywhere.
From The Poems and Prose of Ernest Dowson With a memoir by Arthur Symons by Arthur Symons
For the first time in his life he discovered that he was extinguishing, with difficulty, a smouldering resentment against her.
From The Miller Of Old Church by Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow
