euthanize

verb

variants also euthanatize
Definition of euthanizenext
as in to assassinate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of euthanize The zoo stated the decision was made to euthanize Willow after consulting with he Association of Zoos and Aquariums and performing a quality of life assessment. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2026 The bear was euthanized by a bystander at the scene before authorities arrived, according to the news outlets. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 As a pet owner, making the call to euthanize a pet can be one of the most painful parts of the process, so having that limit in place takes the guesswork out of it. — Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 28 May 2026 There are whale experts who can euthanize a humpback whale, for example, by inserting a needle the size of a human arm into its heart. — Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for euthanize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for euthanize
  1. assassinate
  2. execute
  3. terminate
  4. slaughter
  5. put down
Verb
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attempting to assassinate one of his sons on Monday.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Among them is the son of Fred Hampton, a senior leader of the Black Panther Party who was assassinated by the FBI in 1969, at the age of 21.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • According to the United Nations, executions have surged over the last six months, with at least 56 people executed on national security charges since mid-March — including 27 linked to protests earlier this year.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Code executed during that interruption altered the prediction machinery before the processor could use it.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of execute
Verb
  • Soon after, Bier accused the Commission of violating the platform’s ad rules and said in a post on X that its ad account had been terminated.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Sterling came to a mutual agreement for his contract to be terminated and then joined Feyenoord.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of terminate
Verb
  • In 1995, Mladic’s troops slaughtered more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica — the only post-World War II case of genocide in Europe.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Cattle that might have come to the US and fattened on American corn to be turned into steaks are now fed, slaughtered and packed entirely in Mexico – then sent to the US as boxed beef.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of slaughter
Verb
  • During lunch, a familiar song came on and every server stopped, put down their trays, climbed onto the tables, and started dancing.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
  • According to a recent paper by the French Institute of International Relations, the SAF and its supporters claim to be putting down an armed rebellion as Sudan’s legitimate government.
    — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of put down

Browse Nearby Words

euthanasias
euthanize
euthanized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Euthanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/euthanize. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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