assisted suicide

noun

plural assisted suicides

: the act of suicide carried out by someone with assistance from another person

especially : physician-assisted suicide

Examples of assisted suicide in a Sentence

a doctor who has been involved in several assisted suicides

an opponent of assisted suicide

Recent Examples on the Web

The British Parliament has voted against legalizing assisted suicide services for adults, successfully blocking a bill that was filibustered out of time before the April recess. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2026

And in Canada, 1 in 20 deaths are due to medically assisted suicide. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Luxembourg Luxembourg legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in March 2009 with the Law on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. — Connor Greene, Time, 16 July 2026

In the past years, many French people have traveled to neighboring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia is legal. — ABC News, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for assisted suicide

• acetaldehyde
• acetanilide
• arabinoside
• cycloheximide
• cyclophosphamide
• diethylamide
• dinucleotide
• ferricyanide
• ferrocyanide
• glutaraldehyde
• glyceraldehyde
• hydroperoxide

Medical Definition

assisted suicide

noun

variants also assisted death

: the act of suicide carried out by someone with assistance from another person

Surveys also show assisted suicides are taking place covertly, often without a doctor's help.

—Mark O'Keefe, The Sunday Oregonian (Portland, Oregon)

especially : physician-assisted suicide

Six of the 15 patients who chose assisted suicide in the act's first year had to ask more than one doctor before finding a physician who would write a lethal prescription.

—Barry Siegel, The Los Angeles Times

Legal Definition

assisted suicide

noun

: suicide committed by someone with assistance from another person

especially : physician-assisted suicide