Extinguish: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used in a formal or technical context, especially for putting out fires or halting something that is emitting light or energy.

• The firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the flames
• She extinguished the candle before leaving the room

Often used poetically or metaphorically, but can also refer to extinguishing a fire. It also means satisfying a thirst.

• The firemen worked tirelessly to quench the flames
• He quenched his thirst with a glass of cold water

Commonly used in everyday language, often in more casual contexts, to stop a fire or light from burning.

• Can you put out the candle before you go to bed? The fire brigade managed to put out the fire within minutes

Typically used when talking about pouring liquid over something to put out fire or completely soak it. It can have a sense of urgency or completeness.

• He doused the campfire with water to make sure it was completely out
• She accidentally doused herself with the garden hose

Used to imply covering something completely to suffocate it, often has a sense of preventing something from growing or continuing. Can have a negative connotation.

• She used a blanket to smother the small fire
• His overprotective nature tended to smother his children’s independence

Generally used in a broader sense to stop or put an end to something by force. Often used in contexts like stopping emotions, actions, or responses.

• The government attempted to suppress the uprising
• She tried to suppress a giggle during the meeting