Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

humanly

American  
[hyoo-muhn-lee, yoo-] / ˈhyu mən li, ˈyu- /

adverb

  1. in a human manner.

  2. by human means.

  3. within the limits of human knowledge and capability.

    Is it humanly possible to predict the future?

  4. from or according to the viewpoint of humankind.


humanly British  
/ ˈhjuːmənlɪ /

adverb

  1. by human powers or means

  2. in a human or humane manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of humanly

First recorded in 1605–15; human + -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We were all floored that it did not get approved the first time, that we felt we needed to do everything humanly possible to try to get this approved for our patients.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Sir Olly said there was a "strong expectation" coming from Downing Street that Lord Mandelson "needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possible".

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

"We have had a logistical problem, and we have done everything humanly possible to reduce it," said Piero Corvetto, head of the election commission.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Instead, Yee is running a grassroots campaign, visiting nearly all 58 California counties and holding as many face-to-face meetings as humanly possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

He jerked and smiled, yawned the biggest yawn that’s humanly possible and went down on his seat again.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "humanly" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com