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 constructions
He 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
… Grandfather was a strict Loyalist. He would not take kindly to anyone who criticized the king!Valerie Trip

Examples of take kindly to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So here’s the first big problem: This is an election year, in case anyone needs reminding, and voters may not take kindly to candidates who try to ban one of their favorite apps—or, for many, an app that accounts for their income. David Meyer, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 The bull didn’t take kindly to camera-clicking, two-legged gawkers and went into anger mode. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2024 As the Turks become more democratic their cultural distinctiveness will take on a more Islamic tinge, which Europeans won't take kindly to. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 Sep. 2010 But country music doesn’t always take kindly to outspoken women—just ask The Chicks. Lindy Segal, Glamour, 21 Feb. 2024 Markets clearly don’t often take kindly to higher-for-longer interest rates, which can negatively impact earnings and stock prices. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 14 Feb. 2024 Beijing has not taken kindly to the restrictions and has at times retaliated. Luke Patey, Foreign Affairs, 21 Nov. 2016 Pushing back At a global level, McDonald’s hasn’t taken kindly to the accusations of political preference. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2024 Apparently, Weinstein did not take kindly to having his daughter be a character on the show. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 25 Nov. 2023

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take kindly to was in 1733

Dictionary Entries Near 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 29 Mar. 2024.

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