human rights

plural noun

: rights (such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons

Examples of human rights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The use of chemical weapons would add to mounting human rights abuses and atrocities by both sides in a war that has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Nakatani, who heads a cross-party group of dozens of lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties working on human rights and diplomacy, will submit its demands to Takaichi’s top government spokesperson by mid-September. — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Earlier this year, he was found guilty of intentionally possessing a slave at his Point Cook home and depriving her of basic human rights, including food, sleep and medical assistance. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026

Yet the counterattack to that is what’s going on politically and socially in the world today, which is the clawing back of women’s rights, of human rights. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for human rights

• acolytes
• ammonites
• amorites
• analytes
• andesites
• appetites
• argillites
• astrocytes
• belemnites
• bryophytes
• canaanites
• carmelites

Legal Definition

human rights

noun plural

: rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all people