adverb

humanly

HYOO-muhn-lee

Humanly (adverb) means Within the limits of human ability or power. Example: “She did everything humanly possible to save the business.”

adverb

Within the limits of human ability or power.

"She did everything humanly possible to save the business."

"It's not humanly possible to read that many books in a week."

How to use humanly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAs far as a human being can — almost always used in the phrase "humanly possible."

Common pairings

humanly possible

Word forms

more humanly comparative, more humanly comparative, most humanly superlative, most humanly superlative

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She did everything _____ possible to save the business.

Etymology

From human plus the adverb-forming ending -ly.

Antonyms

inhumanly

Rhymes for humanly

manly womanly cleanly gentlemanly

See all rhymes for humanly →

Frequently asked questions

What does “humanly” mean?

The word “humanly” means within the limits of human ability or power. In plain terms, as far as a human being can — almost always used in the phrase "humanly possible.".

How do you pronounce “humanly”?

“Humanly” is pronounced HYOO-muhn-lee (/ˈhjuːmənli/ in IPA).

How do you use “humanly” in a sentence?

Here is “humanly” used in a sentence: “She did everything humanly possible to save the business.”

What is the opposite of “humanly”?

The opposite of “humanly” — its antonyms — is inhumanly.

What part of speech is “humanly”?

“Humanly” is an adverb.