humane

adjective

hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
1
: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals
humane prison guards
a more humane way of treating farm animals
2
: characterized by or tending to broad humanistic culture : humanistic
humane studies
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

Examples of humane in a Sentence

It's not humane to treat animals that way. Conditions in the prison are more humane now.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Animal Legal Defense Fund, an organization that aims to enforce stronger anti-cruelty laws and the humane treatment of animals, has also led calls to end the use of horses in tourism work. Moná Thomas, People.com, 27 May 2025 This film is, however, firmly rooted in the here and now of these characters, the present moment of Nadia’s pregnancy and the stresses placed on the couple, which are sensitively explored within a warm and humane framework. Catherine Bray, Variety, 23 May 2025 San Diego Police called the humane society for help, the organization said in a May 22 post on Facebook. Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025 Check the regulations in your area on using humane traps to relocate rabbits. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for humane

Word History

Etymology

Middle English humain

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humane was in 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Humane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humane. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

humane

adjective
hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
: marked by sympathy or consideration for others
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on humane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!