extinguish

/ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/

//ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"extinguish" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“extinguish” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,453 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#27,453
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To stop (fire, etc.) from burning; also, to stop (light, etc.) from shining; to put out, to quench.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

extinguish vs extinguished
83% similar
extinguish vs extinguisher
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for extinguish
PropertyValue
Headwordextinguish
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#27,453
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “extinguish” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). extinguish lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for extinguish is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,453 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for extinguish, with forms such as "etxinguish", "exitnguish", and "extignuish". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "extinguished", "extinguisher", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin extinguo (“to put out (what is burning), quench, extinguish, deprive of life, destroy, abolish”), from ex (“out”) + stinguere (“to put out, quench, extinguish”). Doublet of extinct. The correct English form is extinguish, spelled E-X-T-I-N-G-U-I-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To stop (fire, etc.) from burning; also, to stop (light, etc.) from shining; to put out, to quench.
  2. 2
    To eclipse or obscure (someone or something).
  3. 3
    To kill (someone).
  4. 4
    To put an end to (something) completely; to annihilate, to destroy.
  5. 5
    To put an end to (something) completely; to annihilate, to destroy.
  6. 6
    To suppress (something, as feelings, a person's spirit, a state of affairs, etc.); to quench.
  7. 7
    To abolish or make void (a law, a legal right, etc.); also, to cancel (a creditor's claim, a licence, etc.).
  8. 8
    To die out.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin extinguo (“to put out (what is burning), quench, extinguish, deprive of life, destroy, abolish”), from ex (“out”) + stinguere (“to put out, quench, extinguish”). Doublet of extinct.

This word in other languages

extinguir(Español)éteindre(Français)löschen(Deutsch)apagar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etxinguish,exitnguish,extignuish,extingguish,extingiush,extinguihs,extinguishh,extinguissh,extingusih,extinnguish,extinugish,extniguish,exttinguish,exxtinguish,xetinguish

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of extinguish - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

etxinguish2exitnguish2extignuish2extingguish1extingiush2extinguihs2extinguishh1extinguissh1
Edit distance from "extinguish"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "extinguish"?
"extinguish" is spelled E-X-T-I-N-G-U-I-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/.
What does "extinguish" mean?
As a verb, "extinguish" means: To stop (fire, etc.) from burning; also, to stop (light, etc.) from shining; to put out, to quench.
What words are commonly confused with "extinguish"?
"extinguish" is commonly confused with "extinguished", "extinguisher". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "extinguish"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "extinguish" is /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "extinguish"?
Borrowed from Latin extinguo (“to put out (what is burning), quench, extinguish, deprive of life, destroy, abolish”), from ex (“out”) + stinguere (“to put out, quench, extinguish”). Doublet of extinct. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “extinguish”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-T-I-N-G-U-I-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “extinguished” - see the side-by-side comparison. extinguish vs extinguished
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list