inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man
(ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən 
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity, kindness, or mercy : savage
an inhuman tyrant
b
: cold, impersonal
his usual quiet, almost inhuman courtesy—
F. Tennyson Jesse
F. Tennyson Jesse
c
: not worthy of or conforming to the needs of human beings
inhuman living conditions
2
: of or suggesting a nonhuman class of beings
inhumanly
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of inhuman in a Sentence
He let out an inhuman moan.
She had an almost inhuman desire to succeed.
Recent Examples on the Web
At this point, no one needs to be convinced that tennis is exciting, that the final sets of this particular showdown is rife with interpersonal conflict or that the adrenaline dump that accompanies almost inhuman levels of athletic prowess is dizzying and thrilling.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2024
Harrowing reports Accounts given to CNN detail horrific, almost inhuman, crimes.
—Jake Tapper, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
While giving the prayer, Francis condemned an attack at a concert hall near Moscow resulting in the deaths of more than 130 people, calling the massacre a vile and inhuman act that offends God.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024
Morrison also noticed similarities to his Invisibles series, in which a secret group of rebels roam multiple planes of reality, imploring the audience to wake up to the inhuman masters who are controlling the real world.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
Murphy plays a slender and soulful bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma to discover that the world has been upended by a virus that turns people into inhuman, ravenous monsters.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Under their penetrating gaze, no mother or son is inhuman, and neither is unscathed.
—Mark Harris Keita Morimoto, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Tempe has banned a local nonprofit from hosting a long-running event to feed the homeless in city parks for at least a year, a move that city leaders said is about permitting rules and resident safety, but local activists are decrying it as an inhuman effort to force homeless people out of Tempe.
—Sam Kmack, The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2024
Rather than dampening their musicality, the ridiculous gags and uncouth humor adds another layer to the duo’s performances and humanizes their seemingly inhuman dexterity.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 19 Jan. 2024
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2024
Harrowing reports Accounts given to CNN detail horrific, almost inhuman, crimes.
—Jake Tapper, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
While giving the prayer, Francis condemned an attack at a concert hall near Moscow resulting in the deaths of more than 130 people, calling the massacre a vile and inhuman act that offends God.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024
Morrison also noticed similarities to his Invisibles series, in which a secret group of rebels roam multiple planes of reality, imploring the audience to wake up to the inhuman masters who are controlling the real world.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
Murphy plays a slender and soulful bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma to discover that the world has been upended by a virus that turns people into inhuman, ravenous monsters.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Under their penetrating gaze, no mother or son is inhuman, and neither is unscathed.
—Mark Harris Keita Morimoto, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Tempe has banned a local nonprofit from hosting a long-running event to feed the homeless in city parks for at least a year, a move that city leaders said is about permitting rules and resident safety, but local activists are decrying it as an inhuman effort to force homeless people out of Tempe.
—Sam Kmack, The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2024
Rather than dampening their musicality, the ridiculous gags and uncouth humor adds another layer to the duo’s performances and humanizes their seemingly inhuman dexterity.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 19 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inhuman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near inhuman
Cite this Entry
“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhuman. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man
(ˈ)in-ˈhyü-mən
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity or kindness : savage
b
: lacking human warmth : impersonal
c
: not fit for human needs
inhuman conditions
2
: unlike what is typically human
an inhuman cry
inhumanly
adverb
inhumanness
noun
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