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
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Recent Examples of inhumane
The Bureau of Prisons ultimately settled the lawsuit, compensating almost 1,600 inmates with a total of approximately $10 million for enduring frigid and inhumane conditions because of the power outage.
—
Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
They now must be kidnapped, separated from their families, denied anything remotely resembling due process, and subjected to grotesquely inhumane conditions.
—Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
While the bill analysis cited data that reflects some support among cat owners for declawing cats to keep them from scratching, advocates for the bill said declawing cats is inhumane and painful for cats when done solely for the convenience of the pet’s owner.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
An inhumane situation persists in Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhumane
Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
They now must be kidnapped, separated from their families, denied anything remotely resembling due process, and subjected to grotesquely inhumane conditions.
—Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
While the bill analysis cited data that reflects some support among cat owners for declawing cats to keep them from scratching, advocates for the bill said declawing cats is inhumane and painful for cats when done solely for the convenience of the pet’s owner.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
An inhumane situation persists in Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inhumane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhumane
Adjective
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Grant me ruthless access to the psychological image, discomfortable mercy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
His new persona as a fighting moderate, a Democrat in tune with the country’s shifting desires and ruthless toward the man at the top, deftly speaks to the needs of a party desperate to regain the White House.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Moon is at odds with three planets, which can trigger arguments, snide remarks and even cruel retorts.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
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An old 4chan meme designed as a cruel caricature has somehow become the face of clueless commentators asking for context.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary who must save his teenage daughter after she’s kidnapped by the merciless army officer, Colonel Lockjaw (played by Sean Penn).—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
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Iran’s attorney general has vowed to pursue merciless legal action against the latter, including the death penalty.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The barrage of images broadcast out of Minneapolis and surrounding regions depict violent and brutal encounters and capture moments of utter fear, pain and confusion.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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The collective rejection of ICE’s brutal and indefensible assault on Minneapolis is part of a larger wave of solidarity against the federal government.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Without prosecutors empowered to bring charges against wrongdoers, judges willing to strike down overreach, legislators daring enough to demand investigations and change laws, and citizens outraged enough to protest, any revelations by journalists will fall on stony ground.—
Susan Chira,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Dec. 2025
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After that historic journey, NASA charted a new course toward Apophis, a stony metal-rich NEA that offers a sharp scientific contrast to Bennu's carbon-rich composition (and was once thought to pose a serious impact risk to Earth).—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
28 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As late as the 9th century, Canis Major was pictured as a fierce, vicious hunting dog.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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That kind of improvement could help avoid a worst-case scenario the Fed has been desperate to avoid, one where expectations for high inflation trigger a vicious cycle of behavior that only worsens inflation.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sons of Anarchy was praised for its stellar writing, operatic plotting, and cast of actors who breathed vivid life into their characters, giving even the most savage moments a dose of humanity.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Jan. 2026
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This league is a savage league.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
22 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhumane. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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