euthanize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Usage
What does euthanize mean? Euthanize means to painlessly put a person or animal to death. The decision to euthanize a person is usually made because they have a painful, incurable disease or condition which will cause them to die slowly and in great pain. Where it is legal, the dying person must consent to being euthanized and only a doctor or other permitted person is legally able to end that person’s life. With animals, the decision is usually left to the animal’s owner, with a veterinarian or other qualified person actually ending the animal’s life. Animals are also usually euthanized because they are in great pain that cannot be relieved any other way. Euthanize is also written as euthanatize. In British English, the spellings euthanise and euthanatise are also used. Example: A veterinarian sometimes has to euthanize an animal when they will otherwise suffer a painful death.
Etymology
Origin of euthanize
First recorded in 1960–65; euthan(asia) + -ize
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He added that by the time the city made contact with state officials, the decision to euthanize was already made.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
After consulting with state wildlife officials, veterinarians concluded the cub would have suffered chronic pain and mobility issues for the rest of her life, so they decided to euthanize her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025
These are places that receive a significant influx of animals, either by owner surrender or retrieval, and would rather have people claim them than be forced to euthanize them.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2024
Trainer Heath Taylor has had to euthanize seven horses after an outbreak of EIA at his Los Alamitos barn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
He could not bring himself to euthanize the monkeys.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
A week later, Ventura Superior Court Judge Mark S. Borrell sided with the county and ordered the dog to be euthanized.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
State officials dispute that, saying bears are euthanized only in extreme circumstances such as after they’ve hurt someone or committed repeated break-ins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In addition to the four euthanized wolves, two wolves died from vehicle strikes, three were found dead of unknown causes, and three additional deaths are under investigation.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2026
A 25-year-old Spanish woman was euthanized last month by medical personnel on her request and with the approval of authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
On Tuesday evening, Monrovia City Manager Dylan Feik announced that he had received a call from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife official notifying him that the mother bear had been euthanized.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
Despite the wipeout infestations and mass euthanizing, Farm Action alleges the size of egg-laying flocks in 2025 are, on average, only about 5 percent smaller, on a month-to-month basis, than they were in 2021.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2025
“He got extra treats, critical care and veg today. And attention,” the vet said in an email announcing the plans for euthanizing him.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 13, 2023
They are sterilizing coyotes in the area and euthanizing coyote-wolf hybrids when they’re found.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 3, 2023
This year, it’s been euthanizing 200-plus dogs a month, according to Director Matthew Buck, just to make room for the 150 new dogs coming in every week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
Even if they were euthanizing the animals, it didn’t add up.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
