euthanized
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for euthanized, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — Put to death painlessly, usually by injection, to end suffering from illness or injury. Used chiefly of animals.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
Put to death painlessly, usually by injection, to end suffering from illness or injury. Used chiefly of animals.
“The horse had a broken leg and was euthanized at the track.”
2. verb
Of a person: helped to die deliberately to end incurable suffering, where the law permits it.
“He asked to be euthanized once the pain became unmanageable.”
How to Use Euthanized
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Clinical and neutral in veterinary and medical contexts; in ordinary speech about a pet, 'put down' or 'put to sleep' is far commoner.
Etymology
From euthanasia, from Greek eu 'good' and thanatos 'death'; the American spelling of the past tense of euthanize (British: euthanised).
Full origin of euthanized →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between euthanized and put to sleep?
They describe the same act; 'put to sleep' is the gentler everyday phrase vets use with owners, while 'euthanized' is the clinical term that appears on records. 'Put to sleep' can also just mean sedated, so the context matters.
Is it euthanized or euthanised?
Both are correct — euthanized is the American spelling and euthanised the British and Australian one. Choose whichever matches the rest of your writing and stay consistent.
What is the difference between euthanasia and assisted dying?
In euthanasia another person, usually a doctor, administers the drug that causes death. In assisted dying, or assisted suicide, the doctor supplies the means but the person takes it themselves. The legal position of the two differs sharply between countries.