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
Needless to say, the politician’s regime did not take kindly to any art with themes of resistance.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2025
The Cleveland Browns did not take kindly to 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who was punched in the groin last game to earn Carolina’s Tre’Von Moehrig a one-game suspension.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
But the county’s board of supervisors hasn’t taken kindly to the page and voted to approve a subpoena to Meta for records to reveal the creators’ identities, court records show.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Sliwa, who didn’t take kindly to being asked to withdraw.
—Richard Hall, Time, 16 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take kindly to
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Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Dec. 2025
The Cleveland Browns did not take kindly to 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who was punched in the groin last game to earn Carolina’s Tre’Von Moehrig a one-game suspension.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
But the county’s board of supervisors hasn’t taken kindly to the page and voted to approve a subpoena to Meta for records to reveal the creators’ identities, court records show.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Sliwa, who didn’t take kindly to being asked to withdraw.
—Richard Hall, Time, 16 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take kindly to
Cite this Entry
“Take kindly to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20kindly%20to. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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