Synonyms of kind

kind 1 of 2

adjective

1

as in compassionate

having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others

a kind person who regularly volunteers at the homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compassionate
• benevolent
• thoughtful
• sympathetic
• gentle
• kindly
• humane
• nice
• gracious
• friendly
• generous
• kindhearted
• sweet
• good
• warmhearted
• merciful
• beneficent
• pleasant
• benignant
• tender
• good-hearted
• attentive
• humanitarian
• considerate
• tenderhearted
• patient
• warm
• softhearted
• mild
• benign
• solicitous
• good-natured
• neighborly
• soft
• genial
• cordial
• noble
• affable
• charitable
• pitying
• companionable
• liberal
• forgiving
• lenient
• understanding
• tolerant
• amicable
• comradely
• forbearing
• magnanimous
• philanthropic
• selfless
• altruistic
• unselfish
• brotherly
• munificent
• good-tempered
• unsparing
• philanthropical
• openhearted
• clement
• greathearted
• freehanded
• anticruelty
• cruelty-free

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cruel
• brutal
• vicious
• unkind
• savage
• inhuman
• sadistic
• callous
• heartless
• brute
• barbarous
• barbaric
• atrocious
• inhumane
• bestial
• unsympathetic
• ruthless
• truculent
• unfeeling
• brutish
• fiendish
• merciless
• pitiless
• insensate
• severe
• thoughtless
• insensitive
• tough
• unthinking
• harsh
• inconsiderate
• grim
• uncaring
• stern
• wanton
• cold-blooded
• mean
• unkindly
• uncompassionate
• hard-hearted
• malignant
• malicious
• virulent
• hateful
• spiteful
• malevolent
• nasty
• unsentimental
• malign
• ironhearted
• stonyhearted
• uncharitable
• heavy-handed
• hard-boiled
• antihumanitarian

2

as in thoughtful

given to or made with heedful anticipation of the needs and happiness of others

providing the grieving widow with a homemade meal was a kind deed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thoughtful
• attentive
• caring
• considerate
• respectful
• gracious
• generous
• solicitous
• hospitable
• good
• helpful
• nice
• gallant
• polite
• kindly
• compassionate
• neighborly
• sympathetic
• diplomatic
• brotherly
• kindhearted
• courteous
• benevolent
• chivalrous
• tactful
• courtly
• tender
• good-hearted
• dutiful
• charitable
• selfless
• humane
• deferential
• altruistic
• unselfish
• magnanimous
• beneficent
• obliging
• regardful
• benignant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• thoughtless
• unthinking
• inconsiderate
• heedless
• unkind
• uncaring
• inattentive
• inhospitable
• rude
• unkindly
• impolite
• unmannerly
• uncivil
• mean
• unheeding
• malicious
• unhelpful
• malevolent
• spiteful
• ill-mannered
• ill-bred

kind

2 of 2

noun

ˈkīnd 

1

as in type

a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common

I like that kind of candy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• type
• sort
• genre
• stripe
• variety
• breed
• nature
• description
• manner
• species
• kidney
• like
• class
• strain
• ilk
• persuasion
• feather
• order
• category
• model
• group
• family
• sample
• specimen
• grouping
• bracket
• suite
• set
• bunch
• lot
• grade
• division
• rank(s)

2

as in category

one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic

we looked at just about every kind of flooring before deciding which to use in the kitchen

Synonyms & Similar Words

• type
• category
• sort
• group
• tier
• variety
• family
• classification
• class
• species
• section
• genus
• generation
• set
• bracket
• rank(s)
• league
• breed
• grade
• rubric
• division
• order
• description
• manner
• nature
• kidney
• subdivision
• subgroup
• specialty
• like
• race
• subspecies
• ilk
• branch
• feather
• speciality
• subclass
• label
• heading
• title

Try This Instead

For

Try This

kind people

generous people

friendly people

thoughtful people

warmhearted people

helpful people

kind words

pleasant words

sweet words

gentle words

nice words

warmhearted words

kind intentions

nice intentions

wholesome intentions

great intentions

decent intentions

pure intentions

a kind way

a generous way

a thoughtful way

a tender way

a gentle way

a sweet way

kind thoughts

good thoughts

positive thoughts

compassionate thoughts

gentle thoughts

pleasant thoughts

Synonym Chooser

How is the word kind distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of kind are character, description, nature, sort, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

Where would character be a reasonable alternative to kind?

The synonyms character and kind are sometimes interchangeable, but character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When could description be used to replace kind?

While the synonyms description and kind are close in meaning, description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When would nature be a good substitute for kind?

While in some cases nearly identical to kind, nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

When can sort be used instead of kind?

The words sort and kind can be used in similar contexts, but sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

When is it sensible to use type instead of kind?

Although the words type and kind have much in common, type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of kind

Adjective

In kinder weather, there's a UV coating and optional ceramic tint, plus a ventilation fan that could help keep things cool on a hot day. —Paul Ridden june 22, New Atlas, 22 June 2025

Recent tournament history is not kind: they were dumped out of the Euro 2022 group stages after an 8-0 thumping by eventual winners England, then knocked out in the round of 16 in the 2023 World Cup by Japan, the latter overshadowed by off-pitch drama with former manager Hege Riise. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 22 June 2025

Noun

The front office and coaching staff can probably pencil Bobby McMann into a third-line left wing position and Scott Laughton into a fourth-line role of some kind. —Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 31 May 2025

My family always preferred the flaky kind made with a cream cheese dough, and apricot, raspberry, prune and sweet cheese were our fillings of choice. —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025

Phrases Containing kind

• kind of