Meaning & use

extinct

adjective·Academic

No longer existing, especially describing a species that has died out completely.

See it in a sentence

The dodo became extinct within a century of humans arriving on its island.

Several volcanoes in the region are now considered extinct rather than dormant.

A note on using this word

An extinct volcano will never erupt again, whereas a 'dormant' volcano is merely inactive for now, a useful distinction in geology.

Words with a similar meaning

extinguishedvanished

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

extantliving

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “extinct”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.