inhumane
6 synonyms and 3 antonyms for inhumane, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Cruel, brutal, or lacking any compassion for the suffering of people or animals.
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. adjective
Cruel, brutal, or lacking any compassion for the suffering of people or animals.
“Campaigners described the conditions in the detention centre as inhumane.”
Opposites
How to use inhumane
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
inhumane treatment
inhumane conditions
cruel and inhumane
inhumane practices
Neutral to formal; common in journalism, law and animal-welfare writing.
Etymology
From Latin in- 'not' plus humanus 'human, humane', the same root that gives human and humanity.
Full origin of inhumane →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between inhumane and inhuman?
Inhumane describes treatment that is cruel or causes needless suffering, and is usually applied to actions, conditions or policies. Inhuman is stronger and more sweeping: it suggests something monstrous or not recognisably human at all, and can describe a person's whole nature. An overcrowded kennel is inhumane; a torturer might be called inhuman.
Is inhumane the opposite of humane?
Yes. Humane means showing kindness and reducing suffering, so inhumane means the reverse. Note that the opposite of human is non-human, not inhumane.
Can you call a person inhumane?
You can, but it is more natural to call their behaviour or their treatment of someone inhumane. English usually attaches the word to acts, systems and conditions rather than to individuals.
