The difference between Annihilate and Extinguish

When used as verbs, annihilate means to reduce to nothing, to destroy, to eradicate, whereas extinguish means to put out, as in fire.


check bellow for the other definitions of Annihilate and Extinguish

  1. Annihilate as a verb:

    To reduce to nothing, to destroy, to eradicate.

    Examples:

    "An atom bomb can annihilate a whole city."

  2. Annihilate as a verb (particle physics):

    To react with antimatter, producing gamma radiation.

  3. Annihilate as a verb (archaic):

    To treat as worthless, to vilify.

  4. Annihilate as a verb (transitive):

    To render null and void; to abrogate.

  1. Extinguish as a verb (transitive):

    to put out, as in fire; to end burning; to quench

  2. Extinguish as a verb (transitive):

    to destroy or abolish something

    Examples:

    "She extinguished all my hopes."

  3. Extinguish as a verb (transitive):

    to obscure or eclipse something

    Examples:

    "The rays of the sun were extinguished by the thunder clouds."

  4. Extinguish as a verb (transitive, psychology):

    to bring about the extinction of a conditioned reflex

    Examples:

    "Many patients can extinguish their phobias after a few months of treatment."

  5. Extinguish as a verb (transitive, literally):

    to hunt down (a species) to extinction

  6. Extinguish as a verb (intransitive):

    To die out.