inhumane

inhumane
inhuman, inhumane
The difference in meaning between these two words corresponds to that between human and humane (see human, humane). Inhuman means ‘lacking the qualities proper to human behaviour; cruel, brutal’, whereas inhumane denotes a lack of feeling or compassion as it affects treatment of other people. Both words can be used of people, actions, or attitudes. Examples: (inhuman)

• An Ankara MP…who called for an inquiry in parliament yesterday, described the incident as ‘inhuman torture’ —Guardian, 1989

• Claudia could see that locking up a Masai for a crime he did not understand was cruel and inhuman —J. Cartwright, 1993

• (inhumane) They have, after all, been traditionally concerned with restricting the use of weapons which are considered indiscriminate or inhumane —J. Dewar et al., 1986

• He was by no means an inhumane individual; he was a loving father, he was faithful to his wife for many years and to his mistress until death —E. Acton, 1992

• He must reverse judges' rulings that 24-hour control orders are inhumane —Sun, 2007.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • inhumane — in hu*mane ([i^]n h[=u]*m[=a]n ), adj. not humane; lacking and reflecting lack of pity, kindness, or compassion; as, humans are innately inhumane; this explains much of the misery and suffering in the world; biological weapons are considered too… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inhumane — index cold blooded, cruel, harsh, ruthless Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • inhumane — late 15c., from L. inhumanus (see INHUMAN (Cf. inhuman)). Originally a variant spelling and pronunciation of inhuman, it appears to have died out 17c. but been revived c.1822 as a negative form of HUMANE (Cf. humane) …   Etymology dictionary

  • inhumane — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ without compassion for misery or suffering; cruel. DERIVATIVES inhumanely adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • inhumane — [in΄hyo͞o mān′] adj. [ IN 2 + HUMANE] not humane; unmoved by the suffering of others; cruel, brutal, unkind, etc. inhumanely adv …   English World dictionary

  • inhumane — [[t]ɪ̱nhjʊme͟ɪn[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you describe something as inhumane, you mean that it is extremely cruel. He was kept under inhumane conditions... He got his first insight into how inhumane employers can be. Ant: humane …   English dictionary

  • inhumane — in|hu|mane [ˌınhju:ˈmeın] adj extremely cruel and causing unacceptable suffering ▪ the inhumane treatment of political prisoners ▪ I was shocked by the inhumane conditions. >inhumanely adv …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • inhumane — adjective causing too much suffering and therefore considered cruel and unacceptable: inhumane treatment/conditions/laws etc: the inhumane treatment of political prisoners inhumanely adverb …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • inhumane — adjective Etymology: Middle French inhumain & Latin inhumanus Date: 1536 not humane ; inhuman 1 < the inhumane treatment of prisoners > • inhumanely adverb …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • inhumane — adj. Inhumane is used with these nouns: ↑condition, ↑treatment …   Collocations dictionary

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