verb

euthanized

YOO-thuh-nyzd

Euthanized (verb) means Put to death painlessly, usually by injection, to end suffering from illness or injury. Used chiefly of animals. Example: “The horse had a broken leg and was euthanized at the track.”

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."

"Their old cat was euthanized at home with the family present."

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

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishGiven a painless death to stop suffering.

When to use it

Clinical and neutral in veterinary and medical contexts; in ordinary speech about a pet, 'put down' or 'put to sleep' is far commoner.

Memory tip

The verb is transitive: an animal is euthanized by someone. Note that 'culled' means killed for population control, not to relieve suffering.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

euthanised put down culled

Common pairings

humanely euthanized had to be euthanized euthanized at the clinic

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The horse had a broken leg and was _____ at the track.

Etymology

From euthanasia, from Greek eu 'good' and thanatos 'death'; the American spelling of the past tense of euthanize (British: euthanised).

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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put down put to sleep put out of its misery assisted to die

Related Words

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Rhymes for euthanized

sized prized baptized utilized notarized polarized civilized idealized organized oversized localized motorized

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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.

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