humane

adjective

hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
1
: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals
humane prison guards
a more humane way of treating farm animals
2
: characterized by or tending to broad humanistic culture : humanistic
humane studies
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

Examples of humane in a Sentence

It's not humane to treat animals that way. Conditions in the prison are more humane now.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The officer moved the dog to the animal control truck with the air conditioning on, and gave the pup cold water to drink, the humane society says. Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025 My passion lies in making health care more equitable, more effective and more humane. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025 The humane society provides the kittens for the inmates who care for the young animals by feeding them and socializing with them. Frank Fernandez, USA Today, 18 July 2025 Unions, after all, are in the business of raising the cost of employment through higher wages and safer, more humane workplace conditions. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for humane

Word History

Etymology

Middle English humain

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humane was in 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Humane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humane. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

humane

adjective
hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
: marked by sympathy or consideration for others
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on humane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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