1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
kept the prisoners in criminally inhuman conditions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an inhuman indifference to the sufferings of other human beings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a classic sociological study showing just how inhuman an individual can become when given absolute power over another
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inhuman
In the late 1800s, many Americans believed that Chinese immigrants brought disease, crime, and vice, along with an inhuman work ethic.
—
Viet Thanh Nguyễn, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions.
—Abc News, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2025
The draconian rules imposed upon women and girls in Afghanistan are strictly enforced with those objecting being threatened, beaten, detained and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment in detention.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
These are the athletes of eSports, and their competitions and inhuman precision prove to be just as thrilling.
—Adam Rumanek, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
Viet Thanh Nguyễn, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions.
—Abc News, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2025
The draconian rules imposed upon women and girls in Afghanistan are strictly enforced with those objecting being threatened, beaten, detained and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment in detention.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
These are the athletes of eSports, and their competitions and inhuman precision prove to be just as thrilling.
—Adam Rumanek, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhuman
Adjective
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For those still experiencing the oppressive heat, here are some tips for how to find your own bit of relief.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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The oppressive heat and humidity, which have brought triple-digit temperatures across the Midwest and East Coast in recent weeks, have caused the pavement to buckle on roads in a number of states.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Confronting Iran’s ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
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Michael Fassbender plays the deceased Apple guru — a flawed, ruthless, but ultimately compassionate soul.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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The Royals lost to the Dodgers on Friday night, a brutal 5-4 loss as Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play to conclude the 11th straight home loss.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2025
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The 28-year-old is playing on a medical exemption after a brutal stretch of injuries and illness.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Come spring, the Ranger III carries everything from outhouses and diesel fuel for the generators to construction supplies to repair whatever damage Mother Nature did to facilities over the harsh winter.—
Diana Lambdin Meyer,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
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The United States and Europe must finally sever all economic ties with Russia (e.g., nuclear partnerships) and impose harsher sanctions on Russia and secondary sanctions so that China and others face consequences for their support of the war.—
Laura Thornton,
Twin Cities,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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While Charlie Brown played things safe, Snoopy lived an exuberant life in his imagination, casting himself as a frustrated novelist, gleeful dancer, merciless attorney and even a prolific flying ace in a World War I Sopwith Camel.—
Chris Carra,
Smithsonian Magazine,
26 June 2025
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Players have openly voiced their struggles with its deep rough, lightning-fast greens, and merciless bunkers.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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What is a totalitarian leader other than an individualist taking that creed to its cruel conclusions, erasing the uniqueness of every other person into mere characters in a drama?—
Ed Simon
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
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That first leg ended 1-0 — a slim aggregate lead — and in the second leg back on Kiwi soil, the Australians won 2-0 with one of their goals a cruel deflection.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Even these young players already have major tournament experience — a huge strength given their tough group.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Stark disparities in job opportunities available overall compared to the 25 major contractors may indicate these companies are starting to make tough decisions following DOGE cuts, according to Cory Stahle, the report’s author and economist at the Hiring Lab.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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This approach costs three times more than housing people and creates a vicious cycle — incarceration increases homelessness risk by destroying community connections and employment prospects.—
Mahdi E Diab,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Of course, no conversation about Yellowjackets season 3 would be complete without a deep dive into Shauna's vicious throw down with Swank's Melissa — during which Shauna rips a chunk of flesh off Melissa's arm with her teeth and forces her to eat it.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhuman. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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