inhuman

adjective

in·​hu·​man (ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən How to pronounce inhuman (audio)
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity, kindness, or mercy : savage
an inhuman tyrant
b
: cold, impersonal
his usual quiet, almost inhuman courtesyF. 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
inhumanness noun

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
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.
One kind of inhuman, intelligent, unpredictable being is simply a foil and catalyst for the other. Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025 This system used early computers and data networking to communicate about that mythical Soviet air attack, and without explicit knowledge, beyond the purview of consent, Pynchon knew that Americans of the 1960s were being enclosed in a vast, dangerous, inhuman, technological system. Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025 Every bagpipe performance starts with a squawking rev-up, in which the bag fills with air, the drones perk up with inhuman attention, like rabbit ears, and the sounds coalesce in tune and begin to announce themselves. Elena Saavedra Buckley, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2025 Those pastel colors were the expression of a deeply alien process, a truly inhuman perspective on the human face. Michael W. Clune, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inhuman

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inhumayne, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French inhumain, from Latin inhumanus, from in- + humanus human

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhuman was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhuman. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

inhuman

adjective
in·​hu·​man (ˈ)in-ˈhyü-mən How to pronounce inhuman (audio)
-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

More from Merriam-Webster on inhuman

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