put to sleep

idiom

1
: to give (a sick or injured animal) drugs that will make it die without pain
2
informal : to use a drug to make (someone) unconscious before a medical operation : to give (someone) anesthesia before a medical operation
3
: to get (someone) ready to sleep for the night
Did you put the kids to sleep?
4
: to make (someone) fall asleep from boredom
Her lectures used to put me to sleep.

Examples of put to sleep in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Frankly, at that point, the thought of being put to sleep and waking up from this nightmare sounded pretty appealing. Tara Lipinski, Allure, 15 Oct. 2024 The fasting is uncomfortable, the prep is disagreeable, and the procedure itself requires you to be put to sleep. Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 15 Aug. 2024 Just over a year later, the heartbroken pet owner learned her sickly companion was never actually put to sleep. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024 Sadly, the blind donkey was put to sleep — coincidentally on the same day that Larson's blind horse had an eye removed. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for put to sleep 

Dictionary Entries Near put to sleep

Cite this Entry

“Put to sleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20to%20sleep. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on put to sleep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!