verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IH0 K S T IH1 NG G W IH0 SH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To end (something).
To stop (fire, etc.) from burning; also, to stop (light, etc.) from shining; to put out, to quench.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: douse, extinct, smother
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To end (something).
To eclipse or obscure (someone or something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Examples
A beauty that extinguishes all others by comparison
The rays of the sun were extinguished by the thunder clouds.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To end (something).
To kill (someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: extinct
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To end (something).
To put an end to (something) completely; to annihilate, to destroy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Examples
She extinguished all my hopes.
They intended to extinguish the enemy by force of numbers
The Nazis snuffed out the life of many Jewish children
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: snuff out
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: extinguish, eliminate, get rid of, do away with
Narrower terms: stamp, smother, put out
12
verb
Meaning 12
extinguish by crushing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
stub out your cigar
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stub out, crush out, press out
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: end, terminate
13
verb
Meaning 13
put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Too big to be extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be contained
quench the flames
snuff out the candles
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: snuff out, blow out, quench
Antonyms: ignite
Narrower terms: stub, douse, put out, black out
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin extinguo (“to put out (what is burning), quench, extinguish, deprive of life, destroy, abolish”), from ex (“out”) + stinguere (“to put out, quench, extinguish”). Doublet of extinct.
Across languages
Translations
135 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
shuj
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Albanian:
fik
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Arabic:
أَطْفَأَ
(ʔaṭfaʔa)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Arabic:
طفى
(ṭafa)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic:
ܡܲܟ̰ܡܸܥ
(māčmiʿ)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Armenian:
հանգցնել
(hangcʻnel)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Armenian:
մարել
(marel)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Aromanian:
astingu
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Assamese:
নুমুৱা
(numua)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Assamese:
নুমুউৱা
(numuua)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Azerbaijani:
söndürmək
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Azerbaijani:
keçirmək
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Basque:
itzali
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Bulgarian:
гася
(gasja)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Bulgarian:
потушавам
(potušavam)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Catalan:
extingir
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Catalan:
apagar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Cherokee:
ᎬᏜᏗᎭ
(gvdladiha)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Chichewa:
kuzímitsa
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Chinese Mandarin:
熄滅 /熄灭
(xīmiè)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Chinese Mandarin:
撲滅 /扑灭
(pūmiè)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Dalmatian:
stotur
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Danish:
slukke
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Dutch:
uitdoven
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Dutch:
doven
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Dutch:
blussen
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Esperanto:
estingi
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Evenki:
сими
(simi)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Faroese:
sløkkja
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Finnish:
sammuttaa
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
French:
éteindre
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Friulian:
distudâ
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Galician:
apagar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Galician:
matar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Galician:
atafegar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
German:
löschen
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Greek:
σβήνω
(svíno)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Ancient Greek:
σβέννυμι
(sbénnumi)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hawaiian:
kinai
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hawaiian:
hoʻopio
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hebrew:
כיבה
(kiba)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hindi:
बुझाना
(bujhānā)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hungarian:
elolt
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Hungarian:
elfojt
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Icelandic:
slökkva
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Ingrian:
sammuttaa
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Irish:
múch
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Italian:
estinguere
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Japanese:
消す
(kesu)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Japanese:
鎮火する
(chinka suru)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Khmer:
ពន្លត់
(pɔɔpŭənlŭət)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Central Kurdish:
کوژاندن
(kujandin)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Latin:
exstinguō
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Latin:
dēflammō
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Ligurian:
amortâ
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Lithuanian:
gesinti
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Lithuanian:
užgesinti
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Maltese:
tefa
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Māori:
tinei
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Māori:
tinetinei
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Māori:
poko
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Māori:
whakapoko
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Māori:
whakaweto
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Mongolian:
унтраах
(untraax)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Norwegian:
slukke
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Occitan:
atudar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Occitan:
esténher
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Occitan:
esténger
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Polish:
stłumić
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Polish:
ugasić
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Polish:
zgasić
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Portuguese:
extinguir
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Portuguese:
apagar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Quechua:
thasnuy
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Rarotongan:
tinai
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Romanian:
stinge
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Romansh:
stüder
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Romansh:
stüzzer
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Romansh:
stidar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Romansh:
stizar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Russian:
туши́ть
(tušítʹ)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Russian:
потуши́ть
(potušítʹ)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Russian:
гаси́ть
(gasítʹ)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Russian:
погаси́ть
(pogasítʹ)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Sardinian:
ammortiare
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Scottish Gaelic:
smàil
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Spanish:
extinguir
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Spanish:
apagar
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Swahili:
kuzima
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Swedish:
släcka
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Tahitian:
tīnai
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Telugu:
ఆర్పు
(ārpu)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Thai:
ดับ
(dàp)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Tocharian B:
käs-
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Turkish:
söndürmek
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Turkish:
öçürmek
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Turkmen:
söndürmek
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Turkmen:
öçürmek
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Uyghur:
ئۆچۈرمەك
(öchürmek)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Uzbek:
oʻchirmoq
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Vietnamese:
dập tắt
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Welsh:
diffodd
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Yiddish:
אויסלעשן
(oysleshn)
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Zhuang:
ndaep
— to stop (fire, etc.) from burning; to stop (light, etc.) from shining — see also put out, quench
Danish:
slukke
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Danish:
skygge for
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Dutch:
verduisteren
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Finnish:
himmentää
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Polish:
ugasić
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Russian:
cкрывать
(ckryvatʹ)
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Russian:
затмить
(zatmitʹ)
— to eclipse or obscure (someone or something) — see also eclipse, obscure
Albanian:
shthur
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Bulgarian:
унищожавам
(uništožavam)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Danish:
slukke
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Danish:
udslukke
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Dutch:
vernietigen
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Finnish:
tuhota
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
German:
auslöschen
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Japanese:
打っ潰す
(buttsubusu)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Japanese:
絶やす
(tayasu)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Central Kurdish:
ئیبادەت
(îbadet)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Latin:
perimō
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Ligurian:
amortâ
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Māori:
whakanoa
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Polish:
stłumić
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Russian:
разрушить
(razrušitʹ)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Russian:
уничтожить
(uničtožitʹ)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Swedish:
släcka
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Swedish:
utsläcka
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Uyghur:
يوقاتماق
(yoqatmaq)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Uyghur:
يوقالماق
(yoqalmaq)
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Uzbek:
yoʻq qilmoq
— to put an end to (something) completely — see also annihilate, destroy
Finnish:
sammuttaa
— to bring about the extinction of (a conditioned reflex)
German:
auslöschen
— to bring about the extinction of (a conditioned reflex)
German:
abschalten
— to bring about the extinction of (a conditioned reflex)
