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 or involving humans
everyone held hands and made a human chain
human interactions
human spaceflight
3
a
: having human form or attributes
the statue is more human than the beings at his feet—
Clifton Fadiman
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
P. E. More
: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens) : a person : man sense 1c
—usually plural
a disease that affects both humans and animals
incomprehensible to us humans—William James
William JamesSynonyms
Adjective
Noun
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 WebAndrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
The human cost is likely more severe than law enforcement can quantify.
—Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2024
Does soy milk have estrogen? Soy contains isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen that functions similarly to human estrogen but with weaker effects.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024
Batters have about two-tenths of a second to decide whether to swing; the muscles in a human eye don’t work quickly enough to track the fastest fastballs.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
People did not bathe much in those days and by placing leaves that released pleased smells when walking upon, unpleasant human odors could be disguised.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
The interactive table displays an accurate 3D representation of human and animal bodies.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2024
Rumors and Innuendo Claims of books bound in human skin have circulated for centuries.
—Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Aegis’s aim is to protect human life, property, forests and the country’s natural beauty and ecology amid mounting climate threats, Climate Change and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said last week.
—Paul Tugwell, Fortune Europe, 9 Apr. 2024
Phyllis Fagell, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Some kind of mutant-insect infestation happened off-screen long before the main action of the film, which amounts to shaky, handheld snatches of the surviving humans making dumb decisions that may hasten their own extinction.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
The traps are odorless, easy to insert, completely non-toxic to humans and pets, UV-resistant, and waterproof.
—Monica Bell, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
So the King hires a hitman (the adorable Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas) to murder him, so their daughter, who was placed under a spell at birth that turns her into an ogre at midnight, can break the spell and become a beautiful human.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
The making and using of tools was long thought a hallmark of humans.
—Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The goats who outnumber humans by about six to one.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Fracture strength wasn’t the only factor important to ancient humans.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Pohl emphasises the power of horses interacting with humans, explaining that horses are non-predatory animals and must be constantly vigilant.
—Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Solving the mystery of a human jawbone found in an Arizona boy’s rock collection.
Pets and wildlife
The Mojave desert tortoise officially joins California’s endangered list.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
The human cost is likely more severe than law enforcement can quantify.
—Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2024
Does soy milk have estrogen? Soy contains isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen that functions similarly to human estrogen but with weaker effects.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024
Batters have about two-tenths of a second to decide whether to swing; the muscles in a human eye don’t work quickly enough to track the fastest fastballs.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2024
People did not bathe much in those days and by placing leaves that released pleased smells when walking upon, unpleasant human odors could be disguised.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
The interactive table displays an accurate 3D representation of human and animal bodies.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2024
Rumors and Innuendo Claims of books bound in human skin have circulated for centuries.
—Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Aegis’s aim is to protect human life, property, forests and the country’s natural beauty and ecology amid mounting climate threats, Climate Change and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said last week.
—Paul Tugwell, Fortune Europe, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Elissa Strauss: Caregiving is an ongoing dependent relationship in which one human is dependent on another human, if not to thrive than at least to survive.
—Phyllis Fagell, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Some kind of mutant-insect infestation happened off-screen long before the main action of the film, which amounts to shaky, handheld snatches of the surviving humans making dumb decisions that may hasten their own extinction.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
The traps are odorless, easy to insert, completely non-toxic to humans and pets, UV-resistant, and waterproof.
—Monica Bell, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
So the King hires a hitman (the adorable Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas) to murder him, so their daughter, who was placed under a spell at birth that turns her into an ogre at midnight, can break the spell and become a beautiful human.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
The making and using of tools was long thought a hallmark of humans.
—Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The goats who outnumber humans by about six to one.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Fracture strength wasn’t the only factor important to ancient humans.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Pohl emphasises the power of horses interacting with humans, explaining that horses are non-predatory animals and must be constantly vigilant.
—Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'human.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Human.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/human. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
human
1 of 2 adjective
hu·man
ˈhyü-mən 
ˈyü-
1
: relating to or characteristic of human beings
especially
: showing qualities typical of human beings
a human failing
2
: consisting of human beings
the human race
3
: having human form or characteristics
the dog's expression was almost human
Medical Definition
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans
the human body
human biochemistry
b
: primarily or usually harbored by, affecting, or attacking humans
human diseases
human parasites
2
: being or consisting of humans
the human race
3
: consisting of members of the genus Homo
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