extinction

extinction — noun

1. the complete disappearance of a particular type of living thing, language, or wa

1.nounB2
Definition

the complete disappearance of a particular type of living thing, language, or way of life from the world, so that it stops existing anywhere.

Example

Many frog species now face extinction because their habitats are disappearing.

collocation: face extinction

Haruto worries that traditional crafts will face extinction as fewer young people learn them.

Common collocations
  • face extinction
  • in danger of extinction
  • on the brink of extinction
  • on the edge of extinction
  • mass extinction
  • prevent the extinction of
  • save from extinction
Synonyms
  • disappearance

    less final — extinction is permanent, while something could reappear after disappearing

  • dying out

    more informal and process-focused; describes a gradual decline

  • loss

    broader; can refer to individuals or parts of a group, not just the whole group vanishing

Antonyms
  • survival

    the state of continuing to exist

  • preservation

    active efforts to keep something from disappearing

Grammar Patterns

face extinction

be in danger of extinction

be on the brink of extinction

Usage Note

Often used with verbs such as face, be in danger of, and be on the brink of. The subject can be a species, a language, a culture, or a tradition.

Common Mistakes

The panda is in extinction.
The panda is in danger of extinction.
Use 'in danger of extinction' or 'facing extinction,' not 'in extinction.'
Many species went to extinction.
Many species went extinct.
After 'go' or 'become,' use the adjective 'extinct,' not the noun 'extinction.'

2. the deliberate and total destruction of a group of people, animals, or things, o

2.nounC1
Definition

the deliberate and total destruction of a group of people, animals, or things, often through violent or forceful means.

Example

Colonial settlers drove several native communities in Tasmania to extinction through violence.

Government forces burned sacred sites to push the local religion to extinction in the conquered territory.

Common collocations
  • near-extinction
  • drive to extinction
  • push to extinction
  • bring about the extinction of
  • extinction of a culture
Synonyms
  • annihilation

    emphasises complete and violent destruction even more strongly

  • extermination

    specifically refers to killing living beings, often people or pests

  • eradication

    used for diseases, pests, or ideas; often implies systematic removal

Antonyms
  • preservation

    active effort to keep something safe from harm

  • protection

    measures taken to prevent harm or destruction

Grammar Patterns

extinction of + group

drive/push to extinction

Usage Note

Stronger and more deliberate than sense 1. This sense implies that someone or something actively causes the disappearance — it is not a natural or accidental process.

Common Mistakes

The government carried out the extinction of the disease.
The government carried out the eradication of the disease.
For diseases, use 'eradication' rather than 'extinction.'

3. in behavioral psychology, the process where a learned behavior slowly stops beca

3.nounC1
Definition

in behavioral psychology, the process where a learned behavior slowly stops because the expected reward no longer follows it.

Example

In the experiment, extinction occurred when the rat pressed the lever but received no food.

extinction in operant conditioning experiments

The child's tantrum stopped after several days of extinction during which his parents ignored it.

extinction as a behavioral therapy technique

Common collocations
  • extinction burst
  • extinction of a behavior
  • extinction procedure
  • undergo extinction
  • extinction in operant conditioning
Synonyms
  • elimination

    general term; does not specify the mechanism of removing reinforcement

  • suppression

    may be temporary, while extinction implies a lasting reduction through conditioning principles

Antonyms
  • reinforcement

    the process of strengthening a behavior by providing a reward

Grammar Patterns

extinction of a behavior/response

undergo extinction

extinction burst

Usage Note

Technical term in behaviorism and applied behavioral analysis. A temporary increase in the behavior, called an 'extinction burst,' often happens just before the behavior fades completely.

Common Mistakes

The dog's barking stopped due to extinction.
The dog's barking stopped due to extinction of the conditioned response.
In psychology, specify which behavior is being extinguished to avoid confusion with other senses.

Word family

  • extinct
    adjectiveB2
  • extinguish
    verbC1
  • extinguisher
    nounB2
  • extinguishable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe things that are no longer present, but extinction is the most final and absolute. Disappearance is the broadest term — a person can disappear and later return, while an extinct species cannot come back. Dying out is more informal and focuses on the gradual process, often used for customs, traditions, or family lines rather than entire species. Loss is the most general and emotional of the group; you can experience the loss of one individual or a whole group, but extinction specifically refers to the complete end of a category. For example: 'The disappearance of the painting from the museum was a mystery' (temporary, reversible), versus 'The extinction of the dodo was permanent' (irreversible).

disappearance ↗dying outloss ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • extinction risk
  • extinction crisis
  • extinction event
  • extinction level
  • extinction rate

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on the brink of extinction
  • on the verge of extinction
  • face extinction
  • in danger of extinction

Prepositions

  • from extinction
  • to extinction
  • of extinction
  • toward extinction

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'exstinctio' (the act of putting out or quenching), from 'exstinguere' (to put out, extinguish). The original meaning was putting out a fire or light, but by the 1600s it was already being used for the 'putting out' of a species, family, or idea. The psychological sense appeared in the early 1900s along with behaviorist theories of learning.