humanness

American  

[hyoo-muhn-nis, yoo-] / ˈhyu mən nɪs, ˈyu- /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being human or characteristic of humans.

   Loss of intellect, as when a person is severely brain-damaged, does not mean loss of humanness.

   It’s an essay on the humanness of language—how it serves as a hallmark distinguishing humankind from other animals.

2. human limitation, weakness, or imperfection.

   Employers need to embrace the humanness of their workforce, with all its flaws, frailty, and emotional vulnerability.

   In a fitness class, the sheer humanness of feeling awkward and sweating together relaxes relationships.

3. sympathetic, relatable, or humane quality.

   The memoir was refreshing in its honesty, vulnerability, and humanness.

   Greed can drive people beyond their humanness into great cruelty and inhumanity.

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Other Word Forms

• unhumanness noun

Etymology

Origin of humanness

First recorded in 1690–1700; human ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

As soon as you upgrade to Alexa+ or Gemini for Home, the biggest change you’ll notice is the humanness of the assistant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

“Talk out loud, identify yourself, and allow those predators to kind of absorb the whole scene and all the humanness and help them realize this is not one of my usual prey items,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2024

But the soul of the film, the reason why we see ourselves in its greatness, its stillness, its humanness, lies in the chemistry and connection between the two leads Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

From Salon • Oct. 4, 2023

The interaction reinspired hope in our shared humanness and inherent desire and ability to help each other.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

Rather than shaming and condemning an already deeply stigmatized group, we, collectively, can embrace them—not necessarily their behavior, but them—their humanness.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• humankind
• mankind
• society