human

adjective

hu·man | \ ˈhyü-mən

, ˈyü-\

Definition of human

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of humans (see human entry 2) the human brain human voices problems that have occurred throughout human history

2 : consisting of humans everyone held hands and made a human chain

3a : having human form or attributes the statue is more human than the beings at his feet— Clifton Fadiman

b : representative of or susceptible to the sympathies and frailties of human nature human kindness a human weakness such an inconsistency is very human— P. E. More

human

noun

Definition of human (Entry 2 of 2)

: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens) : a person : man sense 1c —usually plural a disease that affects both humans and animalsincomprehensible to us humans— William James broadly : hominid the least developed of all ancestral humans — A. L. Kroeber

Other Words from human Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about human

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Other Words from human

Adjective

humanness \ ˈhyü-mən-nəs

, ˈyü- \ noun

Noun

humanlike \ ˈhyü-mən-ˌlīk

, ˈyü- \ adjective

Examples of human in a Sentence

Adjective

problems that have occurred throughout human history She is a very kind and human person. The dog's expression was almost human. The assembly line was a human machine. Everyone held hands and formed a human chain.

Noun

humans are the only mammals not endowed with a natural defense against the elements, such as fur or a thick hide

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The study shows 62 percent of Americans understand that climate change is mostly human-caused, and around half of Americans believe they or their loves ones will be impacted by upcoming climate changes. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "More People Than Ever Accept Climate Change Is a Threat to Them Personally," 23 Jan. 2019 For those unfamiliar with body modification, it's defined as the deliberate altering of the human body or physical appearance, including tattoos and piercings as well as plastic surgery, in some cases. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "A Man Had Part of His Ear Cut Out in a Controversial “Conch Removal” Procedure," 28 Mar. 2019 Eastre was associated with newborns, both human and animal, during the spring, and since rabbits are known to be rapid breeders, the concept of the Easter Bunny began to form. — Jenae Sitzes, Country Living, "The Easter Bunny Origin Story: Where Did The Easter Bunny Actually Come From?," 8 Mar. 2019 My friends, like the friends in these movies, remind me that my hot mess-ness makes me human, not less worthy of love and praise. — Veronica Chambers, Marie Claire, "My favorite Black rom-coms are a reminder that falling in love isn’t a solitary affair.," 13 Feb. 2019 Lewis’s muscular human, animal, and sometimes human-animal hybrid forms, like the landscape itself, reflects the perennial tension between the wild and the refined. — Pilar Guzmán, Condé Nast Traveler, "South Africa’s Other Big Five," 20 Dec. 2018 Shonda thanked Serena for being an exceptional athlete, and overall human, who stands up against acts of hatred and ignorance. — Harleen Sidhu, Teen Vogue, "10 Celebrities on How Serena Williams Inspires Them," 12 Dec. 2018 Some of us look like gross, sweaty human piles of tissues while battling a high fever. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Bella Hadid and Her 101 Degree Fever Look Hotter Than I Ever Will," 28 Feb. 2019 Critics, also pointing to the upheaval that has ensued following the U.S.’s regime-change efforts in the Middle East, say those interventions have destabilized nations, contributing to widespread bloodshed and human-rights abuses. — Ryan Dube, WSJ, "U.S. Imposes New Sanctions on Venezuelan Regime," 25 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The petition, which was initially released on May 11, 2015 and revised on January 1, 2019, also stated that there are health risks to humans, animals, and our environment. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "Can AirPods and Other Wireless Headphones Really Cause Cancer?," 17 Mar. 2019 While there infrared cameras available on Amazon, the researchers believe that sub-retinal injections could offer a number of advantages for humans, especially in civilian encryption, security, and military operations. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Nanoinjections Let Mice See Infrared Light," 4 Mar. 2019 Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora is the latest take on the topic: the crew of a ship headed to Tau Ceti realizes that life for humans away from Earth is incredibly difficult, and that leaving might not have been the best idea in the first place. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "The 13 best sci-fi books to check out on your new Kindle," 29 Dec. 2018 In response to a journalist question about Mars, Musk said his boring equipment could certainly be used to create pressurized, underground housing for humans on the planet. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Ars takes a first tour of the length of The Boring Company’s test tunnel," 19 Dec. 2018 Dezeen Wear Space is, for lack of a better description, like equine blinkers for humans. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Panasonic designed human blinders to block out open-plan office distraction," 18 Oct. 2018 By all measures, glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, according to the EPA, has low toxicity for humans. — Yvette D'entremont, SELF, "Should You Worry About Herbicides In Your Food?," 10 Oct. 2018 Check out the entire Sunday Scaries line (for humans) here and the FOMO Bones here. — Rosemary Donahue, Allure, "CBD Brand Sunday Scaries Launches Vegan Tincture and Gummies," 2 Oct. 2018 No studies have examined the effects (or safety) of eating the entire pit for humans. — Caroline Walder, Good Housekeeping, "Why You Should Eat Avocado Every Single Day," 26 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'human.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.