adjective
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Also: inhumane. lacking humane feelings, such as sympathy, understanding, etc; cruel; brutal
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not human
Other Word Forms
- inhumanely adverb
- inhumanly adverb
- inhumanness noun
Etymology
Origin of inhuman
First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin inhūmānus; replacing late Middle English inhumain, from Middle French, from Latin; see origin at in- 3, human
Compare meaning
How does inhuman compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If someone behaves in a way that shows no compassion, you could describe that person and his or her actions as inhuman. A teacher who assigns six hours of homework every night might be seen as inhuman. When people talk about inhuman things, they're usually not talking about dogs or Martians — beings that are literally not human. Rather, this word involves humans who show no regard for their fellow humans. Murdering another person is an inhuman act; slavery is an inhuman institution. Inhuman acts can also be described as inhumane, meaning “heartless and cruel.”
Vocabulary lists containing inhuman
Sounder
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Zlata’s Diary
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Stormbreaker
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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.
In the 1950s, the Court under Warren began to tighten the rules for denaturalization on the grounds that using it as punishment for certain acts was cruel and inhuman.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
The power of his work resides not in ideological argument or moral screed but in the observation of characters struggling to maintain their humanity in an inhuman system.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Philosophy without a biography turns inhuman; biography without a philosophy becomes inert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
She remembers Caroline's reaction: "I heard my daughter scream. It was almost inhuman, that scream."
From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026
Otherwise, his lack of curiosity about his son was inhuman.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
