inhumane

adjective

in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
the inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

Examples of inhumane in a Sentence

inhumane wardens who regularly ignored the crying children in their care an inhumane dictator who tortured and murdered thousands of his own people
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
My husband has been subjected to 12 days of inhumane treatment in a federal building. Nick Mordowanec billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 Predictably, there’s lots of fighting in The Smashing Machine, including plenty of that knee-to-the-face business, though the sound design is often more disturbing than the visuals; the sound of flesh giving way as it’s being pounded like a piece of meat just feels inhumane. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 1 Sep. 2025 No one, regardless of immigration status, should be subjected to inhumane treatment, neglect, or indignity. David Kay, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025 Tens of millions of lives have been upended from derelict disaster response, power outages, inhumane commute times, and the housing shortage. Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inhumane

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhumane was in 1536

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhumane. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

inhumane

adjective
in·​hu·​mane ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce inhumane (audio)
-(ˌ)yü-
: not humane : inhuman sense 1
inhumane treatment of prisoners
inhumanely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inhumane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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