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.
Autonomy and flexibility Being treated like a responsible adult who is capable of doing their work without micromanagement is a humane and respectful approach employers can take to make employees happier. William Vanderbloemen, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 Then, one day after the humane society shared Marbles’ story on Facebook, she was adopted. Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025 Meanwhile, viable and humane alternatives exist. Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025 By pure coincidence, Ryder was present at the humane society when Sabally, one of his favorite players, was adopting her dog earlier this season. Ben Pickman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 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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