inhumane

adjective

in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
Synonyms of inhumanenext
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
the inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

Examples of inhumane in a Sentence

inhumane wardens who regularly ignored the crying children in their care an inhumane dictator who tortured and murdered thousands of his own people
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.
Yet these would-be spokespersons for democracy have supported such inhumane brutal dictatorships like Cuba, Nicaragua, Maduro’s Venezuela, Iran, and others. Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 The cost of inhumane policies During Arpaio’s tenure, his office faced 6,000 federal lawsuits. Jonathan Van Harmelen, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026 Those who are subjected to inhumane treatment by ICE agents rarely will have any remedy. Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 With Okja headed for the slaughterhouse, Mija travels from South Korea to New York City on a mission to save her friend and to help expose the inhumane practices of the Mirando Corporation and its leader, Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton). James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inhumane

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhumane was in 1822

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Cite this Entry

“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhumane. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

inhumane

adjective
in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

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