1. putting an animal to death humanely, typically by injection, to end suffering from illness or injury
Usage: present participle of euthanatize; commonly used in veterinary and animal welfare contexts

Examples

• The veterinarian discussed euthanatizing the elderly dog with the family.
• Euthanatizing animals is a difficult but sometimes necessary part of veterinary medicine.
• The shelter made the difficult decision about euthanatizing the severely injured cat.
• Protocols for euthanatizing livestock must follow strict animal welfare guidelines.
• The clinic specializes in compassionately euthanatizing terminally ill pets.