extinct

[ik-stingkt] / ɪkˈstɪŋkt /

ADJECTIVE

dead, obsolete

Synonyms

WEAK

abolished archaic asleep bygone cold dead and gone deceased defunct departed disappeared done for doused ended exanimate exterminated extinguished fallen gone inactive late lifeless lost no longer known outmoded passed on passé snuffed out superseded terminated unknown vanished vanquished void wiped-out

Antonyms

WEAK

alive existing extant living

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Neanderthals, our closest extinct ancestors, were expert hunters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Scientists are still working to understand why Neanderthals went extinct while Homo sapiens established a lasting presence in Europe.

From Science Daily • Apr. 28, 2026

“It is just so funny to me that something so seemingly extinct or outdated could become an incredible opportunity now,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

The diamond-backed spider was thought to be extinct before it was rediscovered by two volunteers at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire in 2017.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

If no more DNA copies remain, the species is extinct, just as a company without money is bankrupt.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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