inhumanity

/ˌɪnhjuːˈmænəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnhjuːˈmænəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin-(ˌ)hyü-ˈma-nə-tē -(ˌ)yü-/ (ame, mw)

inhumanity — noun

1. Behaviour or treatment that is so cruel it seems to come from someone who has lo

1.名詞C1
釋義

Behaviour or treatment that is so cruel it seems to come from someone who has lost all human feelings of sympathy and kindness.

例句

Ana was horrified by the inhumanity shown towards the refugees at the border.

inhumanity + towards + [person/group]

The documentary revealed the inhumanity of the prison system in several countries.

同義詞
  • cruelty

    more general and common; cruelty can be small-scale, while inhumanity suggests extreme, shocking cruelty

  • brutality

    emphasises physical violence and roughness

  • barbarism

    suggests primitive or uncivilised cruelty, often used in historical contexts

反義詞
  • humanity

    the quality of being kind and caring towards others

  • compassion

    sympathetic concern for the suffering of others

文法句型

the inhumanity of [something/someone]

inhumanity towards [someone]

用法筆記

This sense is uncountable — you cannot say 'an inhumanity' to describe cruel behaviour in general. Use it for cruelty as a general quality or type of treatment rather than a single specific act.

常見錯誤

❌The guards showed an inhumanity towards the prisoners.
✅The guards showed inhumanity towards the prisoners.
💡This sense is uncountable, so 'an' is not used before it.

2. A specific terrible action that is extremely cruel, often committed during a war

2.名詞C1
釋義

A specific terrible action that is extremely cruel, often committed during a war, conflict, or under an oppressive system.

例句

The soldiers committed terrible inhumanities against the villagers during the attack.

collocation: commit + inhumanities

Keiko wrote a book about the inhumanities she witnessed at the refugee camp.

同義詞
  • atrocity

    very similar in meaning; atrocity is more commonly used for war crimes and mass violence

  • barbarity

    emphasises cruel and violent behaviour that seems uncivilised

反義詞
  • kindness

    the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate

  • mercy

    compassionate treatment shown to someone who is in one's power

文法句型

commit inhumanities

the inhumanities of [something]

inhumanities against [someone]

用法筆記

This sense is countable and often appears in the plural form 'inhumanities'. Distinguish from sense 1 (CRUEL BEHAVIOUR): use this sense when referring to individual acts or events rather than cruelty as a general quality.

常見錯誤

❌The inhumanity of torture was documented in the report.' (when referring to specific acts)
✅The inhumanities of torture were documented in the report.
💡For specific acts of cruelty, use the countable plural form.