inhumane

adjective

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

Synonyms of inhumane

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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.
Amnesty International published a report in September detailing allegations of inhumane treatment by Spanish soldiers. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 What readers are saying The comments express strong disapproval of Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream an execution, criticizing it as inhumane and a historical low for the country. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 The orders resulted from a lawsuit filed two years ago on behalf of two women who contend they were subjected to inhumane conditions while detained in the holding rooms. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Germany's Constitutional Court ruled last year that the extradition was unlawful because it could not be guaranteed that the defendant would not be subject to inhumane or degrading treatment in Hungarian custody. — Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inhumane

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhumane was in 1822

Rhymes for inhumane

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Browse Nearby Words

inhuman
inhumane
inhumanity
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Cite this Entry

“Inhumane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhumane. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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
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