human
Of or belonging to the species Homo sapiens or its closest relatives.
Word facts
Definition of Human
Having the nature or attributes of a human being.
Example sentences
Humans share common ancestors with other apes.
To err is human; to forgive, divine.
Using Human well
A closer look at how human is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Belonging to or characteristic of people — including their feelings, flaws, and kindness.
Use it to refer to people as a group or species, or as an adjective for warm, relatable, imperfect qualities. As praise, it signals warmth and realness rather than cold perfection.
Common in writing about people, technology, and behaviour (the human body, human error, a human touch, only human).
Do not confuse 'human' (relating to people) with 'humane' (kind and compassionate). A human decision is simply one made by a person; a humane decision is a merciful one.
- humane
- narrower — means compassionate and merciful, not simply 'relating to people'
- humanlike
- means resembling a human without being one; used for machines, animals, or figures
- mortal
- emphasises being subject to death and limits, with a more literary or solemn feel
- relatable
- captures the 'warm and approachable' sense of human, without the species meaning
- personal
- overlaps when 'human' means warm or individual, but stresses the individual rather than shared humanity
- robotic
- opposite of the warm sense — mechanical and without feeling
- inhuman
- strong opposite — cruel or utterly lacking normal human feeling
- machine
- opposite as a category — a device rather than a person
- Beginner Making mistakes is human — everyone does it.
- In writing The support line added a human touch that the automated chatbot could never match.
- Advanced What makes the memoir resonate is not its polish but its human frailty — the doubts left visible on the page.
Remember 'to err is human' — the word carries both people and their flaws.
Synonyms for Human
Related words
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Words that rhyme with Human
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does human mean?
Of or belonging to the species Homo sapiens or its closest relatives. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does human have?
Human has 2 syllables: hyoo·muhn. The word is broken into 2 spoken beats.
What part of speech is human?
Human is used as an adjective. As a noun, it names a thing, idea, or concept.
What are synonyms for human?
Words with similar meanings to human include frail, soul, weak, individual. The best synonym depends on the exact context you are writing or reading in.
How do you use human in a sentence?
Example: "Humans share common ancestors with other apes."