Meaning & use
euthanasia
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableformalmedicallegal
The act of deliberately ending a person's life to stop their suffering, usually when they are terminally ill.
Grammar: Uncountable, so no plural: say 'euthanasia', not 'a euthanasia' or 'euthanasias'.
Patterns
- euthanasia for someone
- the legalization of euthanasia
- oppose/support euthanasia
The debate over euthanasia for terminally ill patients continues in many countries.
Some doctors refuse to perform euthanasia on moral grounds.
Laws on euthanasia vary widely from one country to another.
noununcountableformaltechnical
The practice of ending the life of an animal that is very sick or injured, to prevent further suffering.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used with 'of' to name the animal: euthanasia of a pet.
Patterns
- euthanasia of an animal
- put an animal down by euthanasia
The vet recommended euthanasia for the dog after the accident.
Animal shelters sometimes use euthanasia when they cannot find homes for sick animals.
Common combinations
- voluntary euthanasia
- Voluntary euthanasia means the patient has asked for it.
- involuntary euthanasia
- Involuntary euthanasia is done without the patient's consent.
- legalize euthanasia
- Some campaigners want to legalize euthanasia for the terminally ill.
- euthanasia laws
- The country passed strict euthanasia laws last year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mercy killing
- A more informal and emotionally charged term; it emphasizes compassion but is often used in news reports.
- assisted suicide
- Not a synonym: in assisted suicide the patient takes the final action themselves, while euthanasia is usually performed by a doctor.
Word family
- euthanize verb
- To perform euthanasia on a person or animal.
- euthanized adjective
- Having been killed by euthanasia.
Commonly confused: euthanasia or assisted suicide? euthanasia or youth in Asia?
euthanasia vs assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is when a person ends their own life with help, while euthanasia is usually done by someone else, such as a doctor.
euthanasia vs youth in Asia
A common pun that sounds like 'euthanasia' but means something completely different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'euthanasia' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Euthanasia' is an uncountable noun, so it cannot take 'a' or a plural, and it is not a verb. Only option 2 uses it correctly as an uncountable noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “euthanasia”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.