Abolish, annihilate and extinguish all mean to make nonexistent.
Abolish implies a putting to an end chiefly of things that are the outgrowth of law, customs and conditions of existence.
- The following year Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty for murder.
Annihilate suggests a complete wiping out of existence of something material or immaterial. (see also: Annihilate vs Decimate )
- The human race has enough weapons to annihilate itself.
Extinguish is like to suggest a complete but gradual ending (as by stifling, choking, or smothering). (see also: Crush vs Quell vs Extinguish vs Suppress vs Quench vs Quash )
- It took the firefighters several hours to extinguish the flames.