extinguish

IPA/ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
KK[ɪkstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ]IPA/ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/

extinguish — verb

  • extinguishpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • extinguisheshe / she / it
  • extinguishedpast simple
  • extinguishing-ing form

1. to make a fire, flame, or light stop burning or shining — for example, firefight

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to make a fire, flame, or light stop burning or shining — for example, firefighters putting out a house fire, or someone stubbing out a cigarette before entering a building.

Example

The fire crew arrived within minutes and quickly extinguished the blaze.

collocation: extinguish + blaze (large fire)

Kenji extinguished his cigarette before entering the hospital.

transitive: extinguish + cigarette

Common collocations
  • extinguish a fire / a blaze / a flame
  • extinguish a candle / a cigarette / a match
  • extinguish a light (formal)
  • quickly / completely extinguish
  • finally extinguished
Synonyms
  • put out

    Everyday equivalent; less formal than extinguish

  • douse

    Often means pouring water on a fire; more physical

  • quench

    Usually used for thirst or a flame needing to be suppressed quickly

  • snuff out

    Specifically for candles or small flames; done by covering or pressing

Antonyms
  • light

    To cause something to start burning

  • ignite

    To set fire to something; more formal than light

Grammar Patterns

extinguish + noun (fire / flame / candle / cigarette / light)

Usage Note

More formal than 'put out.' In everyday conversation, people usually say 'put out a fire' or 'blow out a candle.' 'Extinguish' is common in news reports, safety instructions, and official writing.

Common Mistakes

I extinguished the candle before bed.
I blew out the candle before bed.
'Extinguish' sounds overly formal in ordinary domestic situations.
She extinguished her phone.
She turned off her phone.
'Extinguish' is only used for fires, flames, and lights, not for electronic devices.
The campfire extinguished slowly.
The campfire went out slowly.' or 'They extinguished the campfire.
'Extinguish' is almost always transitive; you extinguish something.

2. to make a feeling, idea, or hope disappear completely so that it no longer exist

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make a feeling, idea, or hope disappear completely so that it no longer exists — for example, a harsh rejection that destroys someone's ambition, or time slowly fading painful memories.

Example

The rejection letter extinguished any hope Arjun had of studying abroad.

extinguish + hope

Years of harsh criticism had slowly extinguished her passion for painting.

Common collocations
  • extinguish hope / a dream / an ambition
  • extinguish a feeling / passion / desire
  • extinguish anger / fear / doubt
  • slowly / gradually extinguish
  • barely / almost extinguished
Synonyms
  • destroy

    Stronger and more general; implies total ruin

  • erase

    Similar meaning but suggests wiping away completely

  • stamp out

    More forceful and deliberate; suggests active effort to eliminate

  • kill off

    Informal; used for hopes, ideas, or movements

Antonyms
  • ignite

    To spark a feeling or idea; metaphorically start something

  • fuel

    To make a feeling or idea stronger

Grammar Patterns

extinguish + abstract noun (hope / passion / dream / anger)

Usage Note

Subject is usually an event, experience, or piece of news. Object is typically an abstract noun like hope, passion, dream, ambition, fear, or anger. This sense is always transitive and is common in formal or literary writing.

Common Mistakes

The bad news extinguished me.
The bad news extinguished my hope.
'Extinguish' needs an abstract object (hope, passion, etc.), not a person.
She extinguished to study art.
She extinguished her ambition to study art.
'Extinguish' is not followed by a to-infinitive; it takes a noun object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe stopping something from burning, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Put out' is the everyday, all-purpose term: you can put out a campfire, a candle, or a cigarette. 'Extinguish' is more formal and is preferred in news reports and safety instructions ('the fire was quickly extinguished'). 'Douse' specifically means pouring a liquid — typically water — over a fire ('she doused the flames with a bucket of water'). 'Quench' is most often used for thirst ('quench your thirst with water'), though it can describe suppressing a flame in literary contexts. 'Snuff out' is the narrowest term, used only for candles or small flames that are pressed or covered to stop them burning ('he snuffed out the candle with his fingers'). For everyday speech, 'put out' is safest; use 'extinguish' in formal writing.

put out ↗douse ↗quench ↗snuff out ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • extinguish all hope of
  • be extinguished by rain
  • refuse to be extinguished

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The English verb 'extinguish' comes from the Latin word 'exstinguere', which is a combination of 'ex-' (meaning 'out') and 'stinguere' (meaning 'to quench' or 'to put out'). The word has been used in English since the 1500s to describe putting out fires, and later developed the figurative meaning of destroying hopes or feelings.