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
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Recent Examples of extinction
Saving animals from extinction is a big deal because more than 46,300 species, representing 28% of all that have been assessed, are threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
—
Amy Feldman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
The deeper reason for the extinction event at USAID is Trump’s contempt for anything that looks like cooperation between the strong and the weak.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
Megafauna extinction led forest understories to darken once again, with the model predicting a long-term increase in seed size as a result.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
The compelling 2021 study tells the story of temporary environmental chaos, potentially influencing everything from an increase in cave paintings to the extinction of the Neanderthals.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Amy Feldman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
The deeper reason for the extinction event at USAID is Trump’s contempt for anything that looks like cooperation between the strong and the weak.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
Megafauna extinction led forest understories to darken once again, with the model predicting a long-term increase in seed size as a result.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
The compelling 2021 study tells the story of temporary environmental chaos, potentially influencing everything from an increase in cave paintings to the extinction of the Neanderthals.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinction
Noun
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The whole incident sets off the unicorn’s mother and father to look for it, laying destruction to anybody in its path.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
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Here, Clay, played by Al Freeman Jr., is a fool too easily lured by Lula’s unhinged seduction, all but assuring his destruction.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Grant consistently gets into the backfield as a two-technique player, creating havoc on rushing downs.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2025
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The side chat, though, was all about the email invitation, which had inspired dozens of famous recipients to not just reply but reply-all, causing inbox havoc among the publishing and comedy elite.—
Paula Aceves,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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If the club compounds the loss of Miller’s offensive value by also losing Boeser, whether that happens this week or this summer, then the need for Canucks management to pull a rabbit out of a hat in grafting high-end attacking juice into the lineup will become even more urgent.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
5 Mar. 2025
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McIlroy’s Boston team needed to beat New York Golf Club on Monday to qualify for the playoffs but fell to a 10-6 loss.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The castle went through extensive demolitions and restorations during the Napoleonic wars and at the end of the 19th century.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
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Conservation districts could protect an area from inappropriate development and demolition as well.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinction. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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