inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man
(ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən 
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity, kindness, or mercy : savage
an inhuman tyrant
b
: cold, impersonal
… his usual quiet, almost inhuman courtesy.—
F. Tennyson Jesse
F. Tennyson Jesse
c
: not worthy of or conforming to the needs of human beings
inhuman living conditions
2
: of or suggesting a nonhuman class of beings
inhumanly
adverb
Examples of inhuman in a Sentence
He let out an inhuman moan.
She had an almost inhuman desire to succeed.
Recent Examples on the Web
To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.
—Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
There’s not a microgesture in Wilson’s work that isn’t scored, yet the composition is never predictable, never inhuman.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
The power of his work resides not in ideological argument or moral screed but in the observation of characters struggling to maintain their humanity in an inhuman system.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
This is the palette of the machine-made, that which is inhuman, and Duchamp would drive the point home in Coffee Mill (1911), a tiny painting of a grinder that expels a cascade of brown beans.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
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.
Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
There’s not a microgesture in Wilson’s work that isn’t scored, yet the composition is never predictable, never inhuman.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
The power of his work resides not in ideological argument or moral screed but in the observation of characters struggling to maintain their humanity in an inhuman system.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
This is the palette of the machine-made, that which is inhuman, and Duchamp would drive the point home in Coffee Mill (1911), a tiny painting of a grinder that expels a cascade of brown beans.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhuman
Cite this Entry
“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhuman. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man
(ˈ)in-ˈhyü-mən
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity or kindness : savage
b
: lacking human warmth : impersonal
c
: not fit for human needs
inhuman conditions
2
: unlike what is typically human
an inhuman cry
inhumanly
adverb
inhumanness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
