human rights

American  

[hyoo-muhn rahyts, yoo‑] / ˈhyu mən ˈraɪts, ˈyu‑ /

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

In a draft email, that the prosecution said was recovered from this phone, he said he was a "human rights activist" who had been arrested in Kuwait.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Memorial and Novaya Gazeta, both founded around the collapse of the Soviet Union, are Russia's two most reputable and renowned organisations reporting and documenting human rights abuses.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

These numbers reflect concerns over military conduct, human rights and U.S. foreign policy, not hatred toward Jewish people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Earlier this year, several UN experts called on India to undertake major reforms to modernise policing in line with international human rights standards.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

As boats arrived in Saint Domingue from France, slaves learned that a revolution was going on in the name of human rights.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson

Related Words

• civil rights