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

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

(ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən-nəs 

-ˈyü-

noun

Synonyms

• oppressive
• harsh
• brutal
• tough
• searing
• cruel
• hard
• severe
• rough
• grim
• murderous

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

Their elite leadership faced war crimes at the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, and their inhuman savagery was documented and widely published. —Eric Patterson, National Review, 28 June 2025

In our show, the thing is that our villains suffer not from being inhuman, but being too human. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025

That difficult Apostolic Journey was a balm on the open wounds of the Iraqi people, who had suffered so much from the inhuman actions of ISIS. —Abc News, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2025

In these seemingly inhuman terrains, the figure coyly persists: a woman’s profile appears along the sheer side of a craggy peak; another’s eye peeks out from a crevasse. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

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

Rhymes for inhuman

• acumen
• albumen
• albumin
• bitumen
• cerumen
• curcumin
• illumine
• nonhuman
• subhuman
• crewman
• crewmen
• cumin

Kids 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