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

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 The island, with its gorgeous cliff-side views of the Atlantic, is believed to have been inhabited by a human settlement around 3,000 years ago, based on pollen evidence. — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "There's a Private Island in Ireland on the Market For $1.4 Million," 22 Feb. 2019 But the confirmation to Vox partly addresses the biggest concern raised by human-rights groups about the policy: that Mexico is not necessarily a safe place for asylum-seekers to be. — Dara Lind, Vox, "Trump is officially turning back asylum seekers who come to the US through Mexico," 20 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Regardless of this story’s possible connections to an NFL player, a fellow human being suffered a horrible and life-altering experience. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Potential Legal Ramifications of the Disturbing Accusations Against LeSean McCoy," 11 July 2018 Space agencies and private companies already have advanced plans to send humans to Mars in the next few years –ultimately colonising it. — Charles W. Dunnill, Scientific American, "Method of Making Oxygen from Water in Zero Gravity Raises Hope for Long-Distance Space Travel," 10 July 2018 Even though Derrick and Bam are young, humans still can take only so much year-round punishment. — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "ASK IRA: Would Carmelo Anthony make sense for the Heat on any level?," 7 July 2018 This project suggests pairing humans with machines to crowdsource keywords for works of art that the Met archives, and then using those keywords in conjunction with the Wikimedia platforms to suggest related art when those keywords are called up. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft uses AI to bring the Met's art collection to the web—and your Instagram," 4 Feb. 2019 Next up: Waymo One, the fully autonomous commercial taxi service (with humans in the driver seats for now), and the deployment of 20,000 all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. — Alissa Walker, Curbed, "The good, the bad, and the ugly of self-driving cars in 2018," 27 Dec. 2018 Rhesus monkeys share 93 percent of their genetic makeup with humans and usually live to about 26 in captivity. — Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, "Not So Fast," 24 Sep. 2018 With many species already pushed to the geographical margins of their local habitats, the animals are attempting to avoid interaction with humans by ‘separating themselves in time rather than in space,’ the study authors write. — Fox News Staff, Fox News, "Sen. Tom Carper faces challenge in Del. primary," 6 Sep. 2018 Joe Raedle / Getty Images Facial recognition technology caught an impostor trying to illegally enter the U.S. on a fake passport that may have passed at face value with humans. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: New facial recognition tech nabbed its first imposter trying to enter the U.S.," 24 Aug. 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.