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Showing results for euthanasia. Search instead for euthanasic.
Synonyms

euthanasia

American  
[yoo-thuh-ney-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh] / ˌyu θəˈneɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə /

noun

  1. Also called mercy killing.  the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition.

  2. painless death.

euthanasia British  
/ ˌjuːθəˈneɪzɪə /

noun

  1. Also called: mercy killing.  the act of killing someone painlessly, esp to relieve suffering from an incurable illness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
euthanasia Scientific  
/ yo̅o̅′thə-nā′zhə /

  1. The act or practice of painlessly ending the life of an animal or a willing individual who has a terminal illness or incurable condition, as by giving a lethal drug.

euthanasia Cultural  

  1. Painlessly putting someone to death — usually someone with an incurable and painful disease; mercy killing.

Discover More

Proposals to make euthanasia legal in the United States have inspired heated debate.

Other Word Forms

  • euthanasiast noun
  • euthanasic adjective
  • proeuthanasia adjective

Etymology

Origin of euthanasia

1640–50; < New Latin < Greek euthanasía an easy death, equivalent to eu- eu- + thánat ( os ) death + -ia -y 3

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.

Alberta has proposed a bill that would limit the use of medically assisted dying - also known as voluntary euthanasia - in the Canadian province solely to end-of-life circumstances.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

This is the first instance of court-approved passive euthanasia - the act of withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment - in India.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

As of Monday, three dogs at the shelter with stress-related concerns were listed for euthanasia, Ramirez said, though she clarified that euthanasia rates had not gone up in recent weeks due to the isolation.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

Yet he bears unseen burdens that dominate his thoughts as he tries to decide how to proceed on what could be his last major act in office: signing a law to legalize euthanasia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

After euthanasia, thousands of fraudulent death certificates were issued, citing diverse causes of death—some of them markedly absurd.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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.