1
as in kind
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
brought homemade chicken soup out of kindly concern for my health
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpful
promoting or contributing to personal or social well-being
a vegetarian diet can be very kindly to a person hoping to lose a few pounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in nicely
with good reason or courtesy
would you kindly hand me the scissors?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pretty
chiefly Southern
to some degree or extent
their visit was kindly a surprise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kindly
Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
See Caissie Levy bathed in sea of red as the kindly Mother.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025
Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Engram’s impact at TE1 was erratic, though, to put it kindly.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kindly
Adjective
How can a kindly, God-fearing, and ascetic novice monk compete against that?
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
See Caissie Levy bathed in sea of red as the kindly Mother.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025
Adverb
But Beijing was, to put it kindly, a setback.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Engram’s impact at TE1 was erratic, though, to put it kindly.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindly
Adjective
-
Thank you, too, to the dozens of people who wrote in with kind corrections.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Vargo also recalled a kind woman who had a gentle spirit.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Although the paint job catches the eye, the new stands, which cost about $87,000 each, have several features that will be helpful to lifeguards and beachgoers.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Calling it connects directly to scammers trained to sound calm, helpful and urgent at the same time.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Caterpillar over Microsoft The Dow’s path to its first close above 50,000 on Friday illustrates this story nicely.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Moreover, the new subdivisions corresponded nicely to a map that Hintiryan and colleagues published in 2016 based on an entirely different technique, which traced connections between the caudoputamen and other regions.—
Amber Dance,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Feltner’s routine was pretty simple.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Alex and Ashley In the pods, Ashley and Alex fell in love with each other pretty much without conflict.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Depictions of such raw humanity have the capacity to shape us into more compassionate community members, more thoughtful voters and more indignant seekers of justice.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
On the surface, this may sound compassionate.—
Eleanor Sobel,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The combination of sports and fashion is therefore expected to have a beneficial ripple effect across different industries.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Flowers attract pollinators, many of whom are beneficial insects that deter other pests.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
These quick-drying joggers are thoughtfully designed with a multitude of pockets in combination with an adjustable elastic waistband and cinching around the ankles.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
-
It’s thoughtfully designed with a central partition to prevent plants from becoming waterlogged and drainage holes for optimal irrigation.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The answer, quite straightforwardly, is no.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindly. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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