inhumane

adjective

in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
the inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

Examples of inhumane in a Sentence

inhumane wardens who regularly ignored the crying children in their care an inhumane dictator who tortured and murdered thousands of his own people
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The week’s biggest stories Immigration agents continued raids across SoCal Moldy food, dirty towels: Critics warned of inhumane conditions at California’s largest detention center. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025 In some cities, stray dogs are poisoned with strychnine, a pesticide banned in many countries for causing inhumane suffering. Lisa Klaassen, CNN Money, 20 June 2025 The three-part documentary series, which chronicles the inhumane practices at a funeral home in Southern California, debuted on June 1. Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 June 2025 Large scale protests have erupted across the country in response to the raids amid concerns about inhumane conditions and overpopulation at detention facilities in California. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for inhumane

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhumane was in 1536

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhumane. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

inhumane

adjective
in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inhumane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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