take kindly to
idiomatic phrase
: to feel or show an inclination or willingness to accept or approve of (something or someone)
She congratulated herself still more on observing in the course of days that Mr Verloc seemed to be taking kindly to Stevie's companionship.—
Joseph Conrad
—usually used in negative constructionsJoseph ConradHe doesn't take kindly to criticism. [=he doesn't like to be criticized]
But Terry Gilliam has never been a company man. … He has never taken kindly to the controls of studio heads and accountants …—Kathi Maio
Kathi Maio… Grandfather was a strict Loyalist. He would not take kindly to anyone who criticized the king!—Valerie Trip
Valerie TripExamples of take kindly to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement California Forbidden City : Communities: The once-folksy town of Hidden Hills has become an affluent, gated enclave that doesn’t always take kindly to outsiders.
Feb. 9, 1992
Fences appear in almost every neighborhood and in communities of all income levels.
—Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2024
Meanwhile, the six million original inhabitants of Taiwan, most of whom had never been to China, did not take kindly to being subjected to Chiang’s harsh military junta.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Mendoza continues to emphasize maintaining a positive outlook, a narrative the fans are not taking kindly to.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024
For example, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu did not take kindly to the idea of tolling drivers entering Massachusetts at the state border, the Boston Herald reported.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for take kindly to 
Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2024
Meanwhile, the six million original inhabitants of Taiwan, most of whom had never been to China, did not take kindly to being subjected to Chiang’s harsh military junta.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Mendoza continues to emphasize maintaining a positive outlook, a narrative the fans are not taking kindly to.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024
For example, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu did not take kindly to the idea of tolling drivers entering Massachusetts at the state border, the Boston Herald reported.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for take kindly to
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take kindly to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Take kindly to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20kindly%20to. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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