Meaning & use
superhuman
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Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Having or showing ability far beyond what is normally possible for a human being.
Grammar: Used before a noun: superhuman strength, superhuman effort. Not usually after a verb.
Patterns
- superhuman strength
- superhuman effort
- superhuman ability
The firefighters showed superhuman courage as they entered the burning building.
It took superhuman effort to finish the marathon in that heat.
In the movie, the hero has superhuman speed and can run faster than a car.
Word forms
| comparative | more superhuman |
|---|---|
| superlative | most superhuman |
Common combinations
- superhuman strength
- He lifted the heavy rock with what seemed like superhuman strength.
- superhuman effort
- She made a superhuman effort to stay calm during the emergency.
- superhuman ability
- The chess player seemed to have superhuman ability to remember every move.
- almost superhuman
- His patience was almost superhuman when dealing with the noisy children.
Synonyms and how they differ
- extraordinary
- Extraordinary means very unusual or surprising, but it does not necessarily suggest powers beyond human limits.
- herculean
- Herculean means requiring great strength or effort, often used for tasks, while superhuman focuses on abilities beyond normal human capacity.
Opposites
Word family
- superhumanly adverb
- In a way that seems beyond human ability.
- superhumanity noun
- The state or quality of being superhuman.
Commonly confused: superhuman or supernatural?
superhuman vs supernatural
Supernatural refers to things that cannot be explained by natural laws (like ghosts), while superhuman refers to abilities beyond normal human limits but still within a human context.
Practice
The rescue team worked with ______ effort to save everyone from the flood.
Choose one answer.
Superhuman is the adjective that describes effort beyond normal human capacity. Superhumanly is an adverb and would need to modify a verb, superhumanity is a noun, and supernatural refers to forces beyond nature, not human effort.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “superhuman”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.