extinctionism

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UK/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃ(ə)nɪzəm/

noun

The belief that only the extinction of humanity will lead to the recovery of the Earth's environment.

Scrabble 24
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Meanings

nounextinctionism (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe belief that only the extinction of humanity will lead to the recovery of the Earth's environment.

    Philosopher Patricia MacCormack, who proudly dons the mantles of antinatalism and human extinctionism, finds herself “ambivalent about pessimism,” which she correctly regards as an overly masculine discourse.

    2018, Joseph Packer, Ethan Stoneman, A Feeling of Wrongness: Pessimistic Rhetoric on the Fringes of Popular Culture, Penn State Press, →ISBN
  2. uncountablevideo gamesThe additional challenge, in playing a roguelike game, of killing all creatures to extinction.

Origin

From extinction + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

extinctionism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extinctionism

MLA

“extinctionism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extinctionism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “extinctionism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/extinctionism.

Source: extinctionism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.