No species lasts forever. Our species has been in existence for at least 200,000 years and is not old in evolutionary terms. Consequently, we should persist for hundreds of thousands of years yet there are no indications that Homo sapiens is in decline. However, whether we have the capacity for total destruction — through nuclear annihilation or such — remains debated. Some experts argue that humans are so numerous, widespread and suited to survive catastrophe that no event would result in extinction. A collapse of global ecosystems resulting from climate change and overpopulation has also been predicted as a cause for our extinction but, again, it is difficult to accept that such events could cause human die-off everywhere. Ultimately, it is impossible to predict what might happen in coming centuries. But, more so than any other species, humanity is able to control its evolution via the use of technology, genetic modification and the control of resources; these factors make it likely that we will persist for longer than has been typical for mammal species before us.
From the given options, choose the correct Antonym for 'Extinct':
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Extant
- Extinct means no longer in existence, used above all of a species that has died out completely. The passage begins "No species lasts forever" and discusses whether humans could become extinct.
Example: The dodo became extinct in the seventeenth century. - Extant means still in existence, surviving. A species is either extinct or extant, so the two words are exact opposites.
Example: Only a few copies of the original manuscript are still extant.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Existence — Incorrect. Existence is a noun meaning the state of being real or alive. An adjective (extinct) needs an adjective as its antonym.
Example: The town owes its existence to the railway.
Option 3: Vanished — Incorrect. Vanished means disappeared completely. It is close in meaning to extinct, not opposite.
Example: The old customs have vanished from the village.
Option 4: Expound — Incorrect. Expound means to explain an idea in detail. It has no connection with extinct.
Example: The professor expounded his theory in a long lecture.
| Synonyms of extinct: vanished, died out, defunct, lost Antonyms of extinct: extant, surviving, living, existing |