inhumane

adjective

ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
Definition of inhumanenext
1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings inhumane wardens who regularly ignored the crying children in their care

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others an inhumane dictator who tortured and murdered thousands of his own people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inhumane This cynical and inhumane terrorist attack against children cannot be justified. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 In June, the New Jersey attorney general filed a lawsuit against the site’s operator, The GEO Group, urging a court to close the facility until the state could inspect it over longstanding allegations of inhumane conditions. — Alex Stambaugh, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 Congress recognized that extraordinary circumstances sometimes make removal inhumane and unsafe. — Ray Watford, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026 Detainees recounted degrading and inhumane living conditions that included bathrooms covered in feces, flooded housing units and no access to soap or other basic hygiene supplies, according to the report. — Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inhumane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhumane
  1. ruthless
  2. cruel
  3. merciless
  4. brutal
  5. stony
  6. vicious
  7. savage
Adjective
  • For Arsenal, the mission to create their best possible squad for depth and quality requires some upgrades in certain areas, and Berta won’t mind being ruthless if a sacrifice here leads to a new crowning there.
    — Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Her portrayal of Abby Cunningham on Knots Landing helped define the prime-time soap’s appeal, with the character’s romances becoming just as talked about as her ruthless ambition.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • Oleksa watches them from the other end of the camera feed, in the middle of a gnarly interrogation with Kyle and Cruz — the latter silently watching Oleksa go through a cruel facsimile of her own violent recruitment crucible in the first season.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Murder charge 'cruel and unusual,' advocate says Of cases where a child was unknowingly left in a car, about 41% do not lead to criminal charges against caregivers, Rollins said.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • In Braun’s script, the merciless obstacle course of singlehood seems just absurd.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Regehr was relentless and merciless, and Oilers fans had to witness it over and over again.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of merciless
Adjective
  • What follows is a brutal fight for survival against aggressive, hungry, and carnivorous dinosaurs who quickly turn the community's previously idyllic streets into their own personal feeding ground.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The company's earnings should also benefit from a better freight cycle, which has shown signs of improvement after a brutal multiyear recession that began in 2022.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.
    — Emily Cox, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026
  • Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.
    — Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Definition of stony
Adjective
  • And on the other side of the ball, this defense has a chance to be downright vicious.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Heidegger, the philosopher of authenticity and independent thought, had become one of them, surrendering to vicious political cant.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • The savage battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa had already demonstrated the ferocity with which Japanese forces would defend their homeland.
    — James M. Scott, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The lifestyle mogul made a savage comment about Meghan Markle in a cover story for PEOPLE on Wednesday, calling out her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of savage

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Cite this Entry

“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhumane. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inhumane for Spanish Speakers

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