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to snuff out

to snuff out

9 7.7
Put an end to something or to someone's life
  • phrasal verb
  • /snʌf aʊt/
translation icon : eliminar
  • This is where we snuff out the Resistance once and for all.
  • snuffed out life
  • snuff out any chance
  • snuff out hope

What we're talking about, We're talking about snuffing out life.

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Examples

  • First, you are commanded to "rescue" innocent human life from being unjustly snuffed out.

    Blog text (25)
  • Remember, more than 50 million innocent human lives have been snuffed out legally since 1973.

    Blog text (13)
  • Am I never to understand what gives a Christian man the authority to snuff out a life that came from God?

    Blog text (24)
  • Instead, his life was snuffed out forever with one bullet from the gun of Ivan Walter Bolt, this self-appointed instrument of justice.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Facing high-powered plaintiffs' lawyers and damaging revelations, the once invincible tobacco industry may no longer be able to snuff out its opponents.

    Academic text (1994)
  • His violent actions snuffed out her dreams of becoming a doctor.

  • The oppressive regime sought to snuff out any signs of dissent among the citizens.

  • Tragically, the accident snuffed out his promising future in the sport.

Synonyms

to kill
vsto snuff out
682 2.8

Stop something from working or continuing

ends or destroys more broadly, not only stopping a process
to eliminate
vsto snuff out
  • NSFW
502 3.4

Remove or kill something completely so it is gone

ends things often including causing death rather than only stopping them
to wipe out
vsto snuff out
189 4.2

Destroy something so nothing is left

ends existence as well as causing death in people or things
to terminate
vsto snuff out
147 4.6

To make something stop or finish

ends or destroys fully, not just stopping activity or service
to put out
vsto snuff out
114 2.0

Make a fire, light, or cigarette stop burning

ends lives or existence in general, not restricted to flames
to eradicate
vsto snuff out
85 6.6

Remove something harmful completely, for example a disease or pest

ends existence or causes death rather than only removing harm
to obliterate
vsto snuff out
71 7.5

To destroy something completely so nothing remains

ends presence or causes death rather than only erasing traces
to annihilate
vsto snuff out
  • NSFW
63 7.5

To destroy completely, often killing many people

ends things or causes death rather than focusing on numbers affected
to put a stop to
vsto snuff out
62 3.0

To end something so it no longer happens

ends existence or causes death rather than merely stopping activity
to exterminate
vsto snuff out
  • NSFW
60 6.9

To destroy something completely, often on purpose

ends things or people rather than only removing nuisances or pests
to discontinue
vsto snuff out
58 4.2

To stop something that is happening or being given

ends or destroys completely rather than only halting future action
to kill off
vsto snuff out
44 4.8

Destroy almost all members of a group, like a type of animal or product

ends life or existence directly rather than merely reducing numbers
to incinerate
vsto snuff out
33 7.1

To burn things like documents or waste until they turn to ash

ends or destroys more generally rather than by burning only
to snuff
vsto snuff out
31 5.7

To put out a small flame by covering or pinching it

ends people or things more broadly, not only putting out flames
to dispel
vsto snuff out
29 4.6

To make a feeling or idea go away

ends or kills physically and fully, not only removing thoughts or beliefs
to banish
vsto snuff out
27 6.1

Make a thought or feeling go away so it stops bothering you

ends or destroys physically, not only removing internal feelings or ideas
to burn up
vsto snuff out
27 3.7

To be completely destroyed by fire

ends things by death or destruction not limited to burning
to extinguish
vsto snuff out
21 5.5

End something completely, for example a custom or a debt

ends things including causing death rather than only stopping abstract matters
to torpedo
vsto snuff out
13 5.1

To destroy or ruin something suddenly and completely

ends things or causes death without needing sudden violent action
to stamp out
vsto snuff out
13 4.2

To stop something completely using strong action

ends things but does not always imply strong force or violence
to liquidate
vsto snuff out
  • Offensive
9 9.3

To kill someone who is a threat

ends or destroys generally, not only removing threats by death
to sweep away
vsto snuff out
1 3.9

To destroy or carry something away completely, for example by water

ends existence directly, often involving total destruction or death
to extirpate
vsto snuff out
  • Formal
1 9.9

To destroy something completely, including its root

ends things outright rather than focusing only on removing sources
to crush out
vsto snuff out
1 4.0

To press a small burning thing so it stops burning, for example a cigarette

ends or destroys more widely rather than only stopping small flames
to outen
vsto snuff out
  • Archaic
9.9

To put out a fire or light

ends existence or causes death rather than only stopping lights or flames

Antonyms

1.0

To make something new that does not exist yet

537 3.2

To make something that did not exist before

How Final

to annihilate
  • NSFW
63 7.5
to destroy
1.0
to snuff out
9 7.7
to terminate
147 4.6
to end
1.0
stop
310 1.0

Surface Forms

snuff out infinitive
snuffed out past participle
snuffing out present participle
snuffs out third person singular

Morphology

snuff + out

The verb's literal sense of extinguishing a flame ('snuff' + 'out') maps metaphorically onto ending or killing something, so a learner who knows both constituents would get a clear clue. However, the extension from putting out a light to killing or terminating an abstract thing is a metaphorical shift and 'snuff' is relatively low-frequency, so the exact sense (especially 'kill') may not be fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase snuff out uses the same image: using snuff or your fingers to make a flame go out, so it ends suddenly. That's why people use it to mean 'to end' something quickly, even to 'kill' a person or stop a plan.