human rights

American  

[hyoo-muhn rahyts, yoo‑] / ˈhju mən ˈraɪts, ˈju‑ /

plural noun

1. fundamental rights, especially those believed to belong to an individual and in whose exercise a government may not interfere, as the rights to speak, associate, work, etc.

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human rights British  

plural noun

1. the rights of individuals to liberty, justice, etc

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human rights Cultural  

1. Freedom from arbitrary interference or restriction by governments. The term encompasses largely the same rights called civil liberties or civil rights but often suggests rights that have not been recognized.

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Political leaders in the United States often use the expression when speaking of rights violated by other nations.

Etymology

Origin of human rights

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

human rights

But even some of the grants slated to fund more traditional human rights projects skirt federal requirements for competitive bidding that are meant to deter waste, fraud and abuse.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

“We’ve been very intentional about telling the narrative of that human rights struggle called Jazz,” said Martin Ludlow, the event’s organizer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

UN human rights monitors have voiced concern about rising numbers of civilian casualties, which have reached their highest level since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

Nonetheless, the human rights advocate finds plenty of “joy” in her home life.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

He also had become friends with Kyung’s twenty-something children: Eunice, a human rights activist he had met in Seoul, and her younger brother, David, a recent Yale graduate also interested in human rights.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• civil rights