extinction
noun
ex·tinc·tion
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən 
plural extinctions
1
a
: the act of making extinct or causing to be extinguished
gradual extinction of the national debt
b
: the condition or fact of being extinct
or
: the process of becoming extinct
attempting to save a species from extinction
… at least 17 species of the island's largest mammals, birds, and reptiles were lost in a wave of extinctions that occurred about 1,000 years ago. —
Pamela S. Cubberly
Pamela S. Cubberly Now, more than 40 percent of the world's 7,000 or so languages are thought to be at risk of extinction, some with just a handful of elderly native speakers left. —Benjamin Plackett
see also mass extinction
Benjamin Plackett 2
: the process of eliminating or reducing a conditioned (see conditioned sense 2) response by not reinforcing it
When a rat in a Skinner box presses a lever, a tone sounds momentarily, followed shortly by delivery of food. … After the animal has been conditioned in this way, the experimenter begins extinction, so that when the rat presses the lever neither the tone nor the food appears.—Rita L. Atkinson et al.
Rita L. Atkinson et al.Synonyms
Examples of extinction in a Sentence
the extinction of all life in the region
the extinction of many old traditions
Mass extinctions of prehistoric animals are known to have occurred.
Recent Examples on the Web
Freshwater bodies that once dotted the area have since dried up, which may have contributed to G. newtoni’s extinction, per the Conversation.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024
Tens of millions of bison once roamed North America, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but they were driven nearly to extinction during the United States' westward expansion in the 19th century.
—Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 3 June 2024
Some of them are also at risk of extinction as they are threatened by food shortages, contaminants and vessel strikes.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 28 May 2024
Like other whales, the species was driven nearly to extinction by commercial whaling in the 1800s.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for extinction 
Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024
Tens of millions of bison once roamed North America, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but they were driven nearly to extinction during the United States' westward expansion in the 19th century.
—Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 3 June 2024
Some of them are also at risk of extinction as they are threatened by food shortages, contaminants and vessel strikes.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 28 May 2024
Like other whales, the species was driven nearly to extinction by commercial whaling in the 1800s.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for extinction
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extinction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near extinction
Cite this Entry
“Extinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinction. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
extinction
noun
ex·tinc·tion
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən
1
: an act of extinguishing or an instance of being extinguished
2
a
: the state of being extinct
b
: the process of becoming extinct
3
: the process of eliminating or reducing a conditioned response by not providing the stimulus with which it has become associated by conditioning
Medical Definition
extinction
noun
ex·tinc·tion
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən
1
: the process of becoming extinct
the extinction of a species
also
: the condition or fact of being extinct
2
: the process of eliminating or reducing a conditioned response by not reinforcing it
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