humanism
7 synonyms for humanism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A way of thinking that bases morality and meaning on human reason, evidence and compassion rather than on religious belief.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A way of thinking that bases morality and meaning on human reason, evidence and compassion rather than on religious belief.
“Her humanism led her to argue that ethics needs no supernatural foundation.”
2. noun
Concern for the welfare, dignity and potential of people in general.
“The novel is remembered for its warmth and its unforced humanism.”
How to use humanism
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal; the sense intended usually depends on whether the context is philosophy, history or literary criticism.
Etymology
Formed from Latin humanus meaning 'human', by way of humanist, a term for a scholar of classical letters.
Full origin of humanism →