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
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
Come for the gothic majesty, stay for Elordi’s stunning and emotive performance as the Creature tries to be human in an inhuman world.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, and the United Nations have all concluded that isolating children constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and in extreme cases, torture.
—Gladys Carrión, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Such companies might have assumed that men tend to be less adept at, or less motivated in, making real-world connections—and therefore in greater need of an inhuman love object.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Civilization has overcome, and not simply reformed, many inhuman practices that had been prevalent since antiquity.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
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Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, and the United Nations have all concluded that isolating children constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and in extreme cases, torture.
—Gladys Carrión, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Such companies might have assumed that men tend to be less adept at, or less motivated in, making real-world connections—and therefore in greater need of an inhuman love object.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Civilization has overcome, and not simply reformed, many inhuman practices that had been prevalent since antiquity.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
Cite this Entry
“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhuman. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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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