humane

[hyoo-meyn, yoo-] / hyuˈmeɪn, yu- /

ADJECTIVE

kind, compassionate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

approachable benevolent considerate cordial democratic forgiving friendly generous gentle gracious humanitarian merciful open-minded sympathetic tolerant unselfish

WEAK

accommodating altruistic amiable benign benignant broad-minded charitable clement forbearing genial good good-natured helpful human indulgent kindhearted kindly lenient liberal magnanimous mild natural obliging philanthropic pitying righteous tender tenderhearted understanding warmhearted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aloof cold cool disagreeable greedy mean merciless selfish unfeeling unfriendly ungiving unkind unsociable

WEAK

cruel fierce inhumane uncivilized uncompassionate unsympathetic violent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But what was once accepted as the norm is now being questioned, with growing calls for humane working conditions and limits on daily hours.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

Moscatelli tries to humanize the capybaras so that real humans become more humane.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

He also defended fox hunting which he said was the most "humane form pest control".

From BBC • May 26, 2026

The website also features a “Our Promise” page, which states the company demands “the humane treatment of animals.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

He said this almost gently, as if we were wild animals, frogs he’d caught, in a jar, as if he were being humane.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Vocabulary lists containing humane

100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Stranger

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!