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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The jihadi embrace of suicide attacks on civilians convinced many Americans, including many policymakers, that the United States was facing an inhuman foe. Monica Duffy Toft, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jan. 2023 The best speedruns reduce epic games meant to take dozens of hours to single-digit minutes through a combination of exploiting glitch-enabled shortcuts and inhuman skill. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 10 Aug. 2024 Its resemblance to an Italian palazzo made Shrubland Hall one of the most extravagant properties in England, and burnished the Middletons’ social standing—all at a hideous and inhuman cost. Naomi Huffman, The Atlantic, 10 July 2024 What Hamas did was horrendous and inhuman, however, Netanyahu’s response of killing at least 30,000 Gazans, mostly women and children, is equally deplorable. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near inhuman

Cite this Entry

“Inhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhuman. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

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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