the human animal

noun

: human beings : people in general
studying the habits of the human animal

Examples of the human animal in a Sentence

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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.
Great true crime stories are a chance to understand just how deeply wounded the human animal can be. — Carl Hoffman, Washington Post, 24 June 2024 Yet Blanc’s real faith lies in the nearly mystic quality involved in seeing what the human animal is capable of. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025 In their bloody poetry, the human animal expands, often to terrifying capacity. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026 Their prevalence in the movie occasionally suggests that Coen, by deploying his familiar neo-noir antics, is reaching for some essence—not only of his characters but of character itself, of the human animal. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“The human animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20human%20animal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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