inhumane

/ɪnhjuˈmeɪn/

/ɪnhjuˈmeɪn/

The adjective inhumane means cruel and heartless. Use it to describe terrible things like your neighbor's inhumane treatment of his hound dogs, which he leaves tied up in the yard in all kinds of weather.

Whenever someone acts without considering the discomfort or pain of another person or animal, you can describe their actions as inhumane. A cruel government that keeps prisoners in terrible conditions is inhumane, and the treatment of farm animals is in some cases revealed to be inhumane by investigators. The word inhumane was originally a synonym of inhuman, literally "not human," but it fell out of use and then was revived in the 1820s to mean the opposite of humane.

Definitions of inhumane

1. adjective

   reflecting lack of pity or compassion
   “humans are innately inhumane”

   “biological weapons are considered too inhumane to be used”

   synonyms:

   barbarous, brutal, cruel, fell, roughshod, savage, vicious

   (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

   beastly, bestial, brutal, brute, brutish

   resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility

   cannibalic

   marked by barbarity suggestive of a cannibal; rapaciously savage

   cold, cold-blooded, inhuman, insensate

   without compunction or human feeling

   pitiless, unkind

   deficient in humane and kindly feelings

   painful

   causing physical or psychological pain

   antonyms:

   humane

   marked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering

   civilised, civilized

   having a high state of culture and development both social and technological

   compassionate

   showing or having compassion

   human

   having human form or attributes as opposed to those of animals or divine beings

   child-centered

   designed to promote a child's personal qualities rather than to provide training or information

   human-centered, human-centred, humanist, humanistic, humanitarian

   marked by humanistic values and devotion to human welfare

   merciful

   showing or giving mercy