euthanise

IPA/ˈjuː.θə.naɪz/
IPA/ˈjuː.θə.naɪz/

euthanise — verb

  • euthanisepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • euthanises3rd person singular
  • euthanising-ing form
  • euthanisedpast simple

1. to end the life of an animal in a painless way, usually because the animal is su

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to end the life of an animal in a painless way, usually because the animal is suffering from a disease or injury that cannot be treated, or because it is extremely old and cannot live comfortably.

Example

The vet said it would be kinder to euthanise the old dog than to let him suffer.

euthanise + direct object + reason clause

The rescue worker agreed to euthanise the stray cat because its injuries were too severe.

Common collocations
  • euthanise a dog
  • euthanise a cat
  • euthanise a horse
  • euthanise an animal
  • agree to euthanise
  • decide to euthanise
  • have to euthanise
Synonyms
  • put to sleep

    informal, euphemistic, very common in everyday speech; avoids the clinical tone of 'euthanise'

  • put down

    informal, blunter than 'put to sleep', commonly used by vets and pet owners

  • destroy

    dated formal term still used in some veterinary records and legal documents

Antonyms
  • treat

    to try to cure an animal rather than end its life

Grammar Patterns

euthanise + animal (direct object)

Usage Note

Used primarily of domestic or farm animals; for humans the noun 'euthanasia' or the phrase 'assisted dying' is preferred. The informal alternatives 'put to sleep' and 'put down' are far more common in everyday conversation.

Common Mistakes

The doctor euthanised the patient.
The vet euthanised the injured dog.
'Euthanise' is normally only used for animals, not people.
The owner decided to euthanise.
The owner decided to euthanise the cat.
'Euthanise' is transitive and requires a direct object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Euthanise' is the most formal and clinical of these options, used mainly in veterinary medicine, legal documents, and animal-welfare contexts. 'Put to sleep' is a gentle, euphemistic phrase common in everyday conversation — most English speakers would say 'we had to put our cat to sleep' rather than 'we had to euthanise our cat'. 'Put down' is slightly blunter and more direct, often used when the decision is difficult but clear. 'Destroy' is an older, more bureaucratic term still found in some official records ('the animal was destroyed'), but it sounds harsh in ordinary speech and is rarely used by pet owners.

put to sleep ↗put down ↗destroy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • agree to euthanise
  • decide to euthanise
  • have to euthanise
  • call the vet to euthanise

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Formed from the noun 'euthanasia', which comes from Greek 'eu-' meaning 'good' and 'thanatos' meaning 'death'. The noun entered English in the 17th century, and the verb 'euthanise' (or 'euthanize' in American spelling) was created in the early 20th century as a back-formation.