Humanity Are vs. Humanity Is – Which is Correct?
In standard American English, humanity is the correct choice: “Humanity is capable of compassion.” Humanity is usually a singular, uncountable noun meaning all human beings or the human condition, so it takes is. Use humanity are only in unusual nonstandard, poetic, or dialectal contexts; formal writing should nearly always use humanity is.
Humanity Are or Is – Which Is Correct?
Humanity is is the standard grammatical form. The noun humanity generally refers to humankind as a whole, the human race, or the quality of being human. Because it normally functions as a singular, uncountable noun, it takes the singular verb is.
The phrase humanity are is not normally used in standard American English. It may occasionally appear in poetic, dialectal, or highly unusual writing, but it sounds incorrect in formal prose. If you mean individual people rather than humankind as one group, use a plural noun such as humans, people, or human beings.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the one-group test: replace humanity with humankind or the human race. Both replacements are singular, so the correct verb is is.
For example, “Humanity is changing the planet” becomes “The human race is changing the planet.” If you change the subject to humans, then use are: “Humans are changing the planet.”
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| humanity | Noun | Humankind, the human race, or human qualities | Humanity is responsible for protecting the oceans. |
| humanity are | Incorrect subject-verb combination in standard usage | Uses a plural verb with a normally singular noun | Use “Humanity is facing a serious challenge” instead. |
How to Use Humanity
Humanity is a noun with several related meanings. It can refer to all human beings collectively, the human condition, or qualities such as kindness, mercy, and compassion. It is common in formal, academic, philosophical, literary, and journalistic writing, although it also appears in everyday speech.
When humanity means the human race or the human species, it is normally treated as singular and takes is, has, or another singular verb.
Example 1: Humanity is searching for solutions to climate change.
Example 2: Humanity has achieved remarkable advances in medicine.
Example 3: Her kindness revealed the best of humanity.
Etymology of the Word Humanity
Humanity entered English through Old French and Middle English from Latin humanitas, meaning human nature, humanity, or culture. It is related to humanus, the Latin word meaning human. Over time, the word developed both its collective meaning, “humankind,” and its moral meaning, “kindness or compassion.”
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and collective nouns makes it easier to choose between humanity is and humanity are.
- Subject-verb agreement: A singular subject generally takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. Since humanity is normally singular, it takes is.
- Collective nouns: A collective noun refers to a group as one unit. Words such as humanity, mankind, and the public often take singular verbs in American English.
- Uncountable nouns: Humanity is usually uncountable when it means the human race or the human condition. It is not normally treated as several separate countable entities.
- Plural replacement nouns: If you want to use are, replace humanity with a plural subject, such as humans or people: “People are capable of great kindness.”
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples show how the singular form works in literary, cinematic, and journalistic contexts. They are illustrative statements rather than direct quotations.
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: A discussion of the novel might state, “Humanity is shown as both capable of scientific ambition and vulnerable to prejudice.”
- Star Trek: A discussion of the franchise might say, “Humanity is portrayed as a species capable of cooperation across cultures.”
- Interstellar: A film review could explain, “Humanity is forced to consider its responsibility to future generations.”
- News writing: An article about artificial intelligence might report, “Humanity is debating how technology should be governed.”
- Historical writing: A book about global civilization might observe, “Humanity has repeatedly adapted to environmental and social change.”
Humanity Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| humankind | All human beings considered as a group |
| the human race | The entire species of human beings |
| people | Human beings considered individually or collectively |
| human nature | The typical qualities, emotions, and behavior of human beings |
| compassion | Sympathy and concern for the suffering of others |
| benevolence | A disposition to do good or show kindness |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is it humanity is or humanity are?
The standard form is humanity is. The noun humanity usually refers to humankind as one collective, singular entity.
Question 2: Can humanity ever take a plural verb?
In standard American English, humanity normally takes a singular verb. A plural verb may appear in unusual poetic or dialectal writing, but it is generally best avoided in formal and professional work.
Question 3: Why do people sometimes write humanity are?
Writers may confuse humanity with the plural nouns humans or people. The intended meaning may be plural, but the noun itself remains grammatically singular in the standard phrase.
Question 4: What is the correct alternative if I want to use are?
Use a plural subject. For example, write “Humans are responsible for protecting the planet” or “People are capable of compassion.”
Conclusion
Humanity is is the correct form for standard English because humanity is normally a singular, uncountable noun referring to humankind or the human condition. Use humanity are only with extreme caution in nonstandard or intentionally poetic contexts. Pro Tip: Choosing the standard form in professional writing demonstrates grammatical accuracy and protects your credibility.
