extinguish meaning and definition

EXTINGUISH verb

Definition of extinguish (verb)

1. put an end to; kill
   • "The Nazis snuffed out the life of many Jewish children"
   • synonyms: snuff out
2. put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
   • "Too big to be extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be contained"; "quench the flames"; "snuff out the candles"
   • synonyms: blow out, quench, snuff out
   • antonym: ignite
3. extinguish by crushing
   • "stub out your cigar"
   • synonyms: crush out, press out, stub out
4. terminate, end, or take out
   • "Let's eliminate the course on Akkadian hieroglyphics"; "Socialism extinguished these archaic customs"; "eliminate my debts"
   • synonyms: do away with, eliminate, get rid of
5. kill in large numbers
   • "the plague wiped out an entire population"
   • synonyms: annihilate, carry off, decimate, eliminate, eradicate, wipe out