1 B2 neutral
To extinguish a candle or small flame by pinching or smothering it.
"She snuffed out the last candle and the room fell into complete darkness."
separable
snuff out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To extinguish a flame or, figuratively, to abruptly end or destroy something.
In plain English
To put out a candle or small fire, or to stop something (like a life or a hope) suddenly and completely.
What does "snuff out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To end a life suddenly and prematurely.
"The accident snuffed out the lives of three young people who had everything ahead of them."
“
And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges — yet a young life snuffed out.
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To suddenly and completely end a movement, idea, hope, or career.
"The military coup snuffed out any hope of democratic reform within days."
“
In an instant, all that promise was snuffed out.
— Barack Obama, eulogy for the victims of the Charleston church shooting, June 2015
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To snuff (pinch or smother the wick of a candle) so the flame goes out — the literal origin is clear.
Actually means
To put out a candle or small fire, or to stop something (like a life or a hope) suddenly and completely.
Usage tip
The literal sense (extinguishing a candle by pinching or smothering) is less common now since fewer people use candles regularly. The figurative sense — ending a life, movement, hope, or career — is very common and often used in dramatic or journalistic writing.
Words that pair with "snuff out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
candle flame life hope rebellion career
How to conjugate "snuff out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
snuff out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
snuffs out
he/she/it
Past simple
snuffed out
yesterday
Past participle
snuffed out
have + pp
-ing form
snuffing out
continuous
Hear "snuff out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "snuff out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "snuff out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.