inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man (ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən 
-ˈyü-
1
a
: lacking pity, kindness, or mercy : savage
an inhuman tyrant
b
: cold, impersonal
his usual quiet, almost inhuman courtesy
F. Tennyson Jesse
F. Tennyson Jesse c
: not worthy of or conforming to the needs of human beings
inhuman living conditions
2
: of or suggesting a nonhuman class of beings
inhumanly adverb
inhumanness
(ˌ)in-ˈhyü-mən-nəs
noun -ˈyü-
Synonyms
- bitter
- brutal
- burdensome
- cruel
- excruciating
- grievous
- grim
- hard
- hardhanded
- harsh
- heavy
- murderous
- onerous
- oppressive
- rough
- rugged
- searing
- severe
- stiff
- tough
- trying
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He let out an inhuman moan. She had an almost inhuman desire to succeed.
Recent Examples on the Web Hardaway said slavery was racist, sexist, inhuman and immoral. cleveland, 29 July 2022 In the most shocking element, the woman, Kienholz’s wife, is represented as a gray, ruptured, inhuman bag of oozing matter — a nameless, unidentified lump sagging across the seat. Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2022 That same cold and inhuman world of computers could also make Thompson feel isolated and prompt her to act out. Maya Miller, Anchorage Daily News, 19 June 2022 The 18th and 19th centuries were full of wars, too, but no one concluded from them that music should consist largely of dissonant harmonies, inhuman rhythms and charmless sound patterns. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 16 June 2022 Bernie, despite his age, has an inhuman amount of energy, an almost maniacal desire to always move forward, and a stubbornness that would not let a quart of blood on the floor of the Charleston Airport DoubleTree disrupt his day. Ari Rabin-havt, The New Republic, 28 Apr. 2022 What if a large company used infantilizing cutesy advertising, effective PR, and weak government oversight to cover up inhumane, inhuman activities? Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 7 May 2022 Yet the same principle that applies in life applies with equal force in literature: likability is boring and, at the limit, inhuman. Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2022 Many Iranians, after 43 years of inhuman theocracy, miss their king. Cyrill Matter, Town & Country, 28 Apr. 2022 See More
cleveland, 29 July 2022 In the most shocking element, the woman, Kienholz’s wife, is represented as a gray, ruptured, inhuman bag of oozing matter — a nameless, unidentified lump sagging across the seat. Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2022 That same cold and inhuman world of computers could also make Thompson feel isolated and prompt her to act out. Maya Miller, Anchorage Daily News, 19 June 2022 The 18th and 19th centuries were full of wars, too, but no one concluded from them that music should consist largely of dissonant harmonies, inhuman rhythms and charmless sound patterns. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 16 June 2022 Bernie, despite his age, has an inhuman amount of energy, an almost maniacal desire to always move forward, and a stubbornness that would not let a quart of blood on the floor of the Charleston Airport DoubleTree disrupt his day. Ari Rabin-havt, The New Republic, 28 Apr. 2022 What if a large company used infantilizing cutesy advertising, effective PR, and weak government oversight to cover up inhumane, inhuman activities? Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 7 May 2022 Yet the same principle that applies in life applies with equal force in literature: likability is boring and, at the limit, inhuman. Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2022 Many Iranians, after 43 years of inhuman theocracy, miss their king. Cyrill Matter, Town & Country, 28 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English inhumayne, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French inhumain, from Latin inhumanus, from in- + humanus human
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
inhuman
adjective
in·hu·man in-ˈhyü-mən
-ˈyü-
1
: lacking pity or kindness
an inhuman tyrant
2
: unlike what might be expected by a human
an inhuman scream
inhuman
adjective
1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure kept the prisoners in criminally inhuman conditions Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- oppressive
- harsh
- brutal
- tough
- searing
- cruel
- severe
- hard
- rough
- murderous
- grim
- trying
- painful
- onerous
- burdensome
- heavy
- excruciating
- bleak
- grievous
- bitter
- rugged
- unbearable
- stiff
- unpleasant
- uncomfortable
- inhospitable
- forbidding
- spartan
- hardhanded
- bad
- intolerable
- strict
- austere
- intemperate
- overwhelming
- rigorous
- agonizing
- stringent
- crushing
- wretched
- biting
- discomforting
- unendurable
- comfortless
- inclement
- hostile
- tortuous
- insufferable
- grinding
- heartbreaking
- wild
- disagreeable
- insupportable
- harrowing
- unfriendly
- heartrending
- wearing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soft
- light
- easy
- luxurious
- friendly
- agreeable
- comfortable
- pleasant
- hospitable
- peaceful
- genial
- tolerable
- cozy
- mild
- gentle
- bearable
- moderate
- restful
- relaxing
- painless
- calm
- endurable
- temperate
- snug
- balmy
- reposeful
- clement
2
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings an inhuman indifference to the sufferings of other human beings Synonyms & Similar Words
- ruthless
- merciless
- inhumane
- oppressive
- abusive
- cruel
- pitiless
- brutal
- stony
- heartless
- callous
- hard
- harsh
- compassionless
- hateful
- soulless
- unfeeling
- remorseless
- malicious
- vicious
- insensitive
- unmerciful
- unsympathetic
- insensate
- obdurate
- uncharitable
- affectless
- tough
- grim
- savage
- stern
- unsparing
- indurate
- desensitized
- severe
- pachydermatous
- uncaring
- hard-hearted
- cold-blooded
- thoughtless
- mean
- unthinking
- unfriendly
- inconsiderate
- malevolent
- ironhearted
- barbarous
- unloving
- slash-and-burn
- take-no-prisoners
- bestial
- rough
- case-hardened
- boorish
- ungentle
- spiteful
- thick-skinned
- heedless
- stonyhearted
- stoney
- disagreeable
- brutish
- virulent
- cold
- hard-boiled
- surly
- acrimonious
- jackbooted
- sledgehammer
- austere
- rancorous
- heavy-handed
- ironhanded
- hard-bitten
- ironfisted
- ill-tempered
- frosty
- ill-natured
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- evil-minded
- rough-and-tumble
- knock-down, drag-out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humane
- sympathetic
- merciful
- compassionate
- benevolent
- kind
- sensitive
- warm
- charitable
- gentle
- mild
- kindly
- kindhearted
- benignant
- lenient
- warmhearted
- indulgent
- tender
- friendly
- softhearted
- gracious
- tenderhearted
- loving
- affectionate
- cordial
- tolerant
- understanding
- clement
- good-natured
- good-tempered
- fond
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a classic sociological study showing just how inhuman an individual can become when given absolute power over another Synonyms & Similar Words
- brutal
- cruel
- vicious
- savage
- ruthless
- inhumane
- barbaric
- barbarous
- murderous
- sadistic
- merciless
- heartless
- brute
- atrocious
- ferocious
- oppressive
- fiendish
- truculent
- wanton
- harsh
- hateful
- pitiless
- butcherly
- malicious
- unfeeling
- fell
- bloodthirsty
- grim
- malevolent
- red in tooth and claw
- malignant
- vindictive
- sanguinary
- spiteful
- draconian
- cutthroat
- malign
- hard-hearted
- ironhearted
- sanguine
- nasty
- mean
- stonyhearted
- catty
- despiteful
- draconic
- heavy-handed
- hardhanded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humane
- kind
- benign
- sympathetic
- compassionate
- benignant
- warm
- kindhearted
- merciful
- tenderhearted
- lenient
- charitable
- pitying
- warmhearted
- good-hearted
- tender
- peaceful
- clement
- peaceable
- pacific
- minishing
- miniski
- miniskirt
- miniskirted
- miniskirts
- miniskis
- ministate
- ministates
- minister
- minister (to)
- minister of music
- minister of state
- minister plenipotentiary
- minister resident
- minister to
- minister without portfolio
- minister's face
- minister-president
- minister-presidents
- ministered
- ministered (to)
- ministered to
- ministeria
- ministerial
- ministerialist