inhumane
Devoid of mercy
Inhumane describes treatment that causes unnecessary suffering or shows no regard for the welfare of living things.
An inhumane practice is cruel, brutal, or lacking basic compassion: inhumane conditions in the prison, the inhumane treatment of animals.
The word often appears in contexts of advocacy and reform, where it carries moral weight.
Fierce and untamed
- viciousCruelly aggressive in nature
- brutalSavagely harsh or severe
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
- pitilessLacking any compassion
merciless · sadistic · barbaric · heartless · cold-blooded · monstrous · fiendish · diabolical
Deliberate infliction of suffering
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- mistreatmentCruel or harmful behavior
- maltreatmentCruel or harmful treatment
neglect · degradation · exploitation · persecution · brutality · oppression · suffering · torment
Without compassion or emotion
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
- unsympatheticWithout pity or understanding
- indifferentLacking interest or concern
- hardenedMade tough or unfeeling
uncompassionate · uncaring · apathetic · cold-hearted · stony · detached · unmoved · dispassionate
Refusing to let up
- unsparingShowing no leniency
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- harshUnpleasantly severe or rough
severe · punishing · stern · implacable · unyielding · unremitting · unflinching · inflexible
savage
Fierce and untamed
pitiless · merciless · sadistic · barbaric · heartless · cold-blooded · monstrous · fiendish · diabolical · malevolent
torture
Deliberate infliction of suffering
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- mistreatmentCruel or harmful behavior
maltreatment · neglect · degradation · exploitation · persecution · brutality · oppression · suffering · torment · atrocity
unfeeling
Without compassion or emotion
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
- unsympatheticWithout pity or understanding
- indifferentLacking interest or concern
hardened · uncompassionate · uncaring · apathetic · cold-hearted · stony · detached · unmoved · dispassionate · emotionless
unrelenting
Refusing to let up
- unsparingShowing no leniency
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
harsh · severe · punishing · stern · implacable · unyielding · unremitting · unflinching · inflexible · hard
- cold-heartedcallous, cold, cold-blooded, cold-hearted, cruel
inhumanehumane
Marked by kindness
compassionate · merciful · kind · kindhearted · tenderhearted
- inhumane practicesCruel systematic behaviors