superhuman

adjective

su·​per·​hu·​man ˌsü-pər-ˈhyü-mən How to pronounce superhuman (audio)
-ˈyü-
1
: being above the human : divine
superhuman beings
2
: exceeding normal human power, size, or capability : herculean
a superhuman effort
superhuman strength
also : having such power, size, or capability
superhumanity noun
superhumanly adverb
superhumanness noun

Examples of superhuman in a Sentence

The character in the film acquires superhuman powers. It will take a superhuman effort for them to win the championship.
Recent Examples on the Web At seminars like Chada’s around Southern California this fall, some held in Korean or Mandarin for immigrant parents, consultants reinforced the message — even students with superhuman qualifications are regularly rejected from Harvard and UC Berkeley. Jeong Park, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2023 The organization would work on developing superhuman AI with the goal of benefiting all of humanity rather than a few powerful tech companies and their shareholders. WIRED, 20 Nov. 2023 The werewolf has superhuman powers and enjoys hunting its prey, so running isn't your best option. Manuel Canales, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2023 Will machines with superhuman capabilities threaten humanity’s status as master of the universe? Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2023 In the comics, Spawn is a human-turned-Hellspawn who possesses superhuman strength and speed, as well as near immortality. Michaela Zee, Variety, 22 Oct. 2023 This time around, Jason isn’t the only character with superhuman powers and he’s forced to battle it out with Tina, whose telekinesis grows stronger with each scene. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 13 Oct. 2023 That white paper proposed that individuals in a mental health crisis, often under the influence of drugs or alcohol, can exhibit superhuman strength as police try to control them, and then die from the condition. Samantha Young, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023 And Trump’s superhuman ability to short-circuit the news cycle had lessened—though only to a degree. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superhuman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of superhuman was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near superhuman

Cite this Entry

“Superhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superhuman. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

superhuman

adjective
su·​per·​hu·​man ˌsü-pər-ˈhyü-mən How to pronounce superhuman (audio)
-ˈyü-
1
: being above the human : divine
superhuman beings
2
: going beyond normal human power, size, or capability
a superhuman effort
superhumanly adverb
superhumanness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on superhuman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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