inhumane

adjective

in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān 

-(ˌ)yü-

: not humane : inhuman sense 1

the inhumane treatment of prisoners

inhumanely adverb

Synonyms of inhumane

• ruthless
• merciless
• stony

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

Those arrested — many of them torn from their crying children — were detained in squalid conditions for days at a time on the 10th floor that Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan earlier this year deemed inhumane. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026

Detainees recounted degrading and inhumane living conditions that included bathrooms covered in feces, flooded housing units and no access to soap or other basic hygiene supplies, according to the report. — Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

At facilities across the country, there have been hunger strikes and protests over inhumane conditions, including rotten and inedible food, physical abuse by guards, and insufficient medical care. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

That number has remained stubbornly static, aggravating inhumane consequences of long-term homelessness. — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inhumane

• aeroplane
• appertain
• ascertain
• capitaine
• cassegrain
• cellophane
• chatelaine
• counterpane
• entertain
• halothane
• hurricane
• hyperplane

Kids Definition

inhumane

adjective

in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān 

-(ˌ)yü-

: not humane : inhuman sense 1

inhumane treatment of prisoners

inhumanely adverb