1
as in friendship
kindly concern, interest, or support
was touched by the kindliness of his neighbors, who voluntarily took care of his dog while he was in the hospital
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in kindness
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune
as a result of her kindliness, several poor families have the makings for a Thanksgiving feast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tenderness
sympathetic concern for the well-being of others
an elderly couple of modest means but infinite kindliness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kindliness
Internet wags have wondered whether Gunn’s kindliness extends to malevolent immigrants like General Zod.
—
Armond White, National Review, 18 July 2025
What was needed was a distanced kindliness—patience, an acknowledgment of the mess that was unfolding, an explanation of a way through, a reiteration of the soundness of the larger vision.
—Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2021
Weinberg’s memoir doesn’t aspire to the depth of Feeney’s study, but its fealty and kindliness have their own appeal.
—Thomas Mallon, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2018
Grandpa is hung-over,
grandma has run out of kindliness, Mom has post-traumatic
hostess stress.
—Wired Staff, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2003
Armond White, National Review, 18 July 2025
What was needed was a distanced kindliness—patience, an acknowledgment of the mess that was unfolding, an explanation of a way through, a reiteration of the soundness of the larger vision.
—Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2021
Weinberg’s memoir doesn’t aspire to the depth of Feeney’s study, but its fealty and kindliness have their own appeal.
—Thomas Mallon, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2018
Grandpa is hung-over,
grandma has run out of kindliness, Mom has post-traumatic
hostess stress.
—Wired Staff, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2003
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindliness
Noun
-
Lola, the 20-year-old daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, had a close relationship with Muldoon thanks to her mom’s friendship and former relationship with the Days of Our Lives star.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Greg opens his heart to the possibility of a real friendship with this bonkers dude.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If the several buildings the report says Taxpayer 1 was delinquent on taxes included, say, a bar or ramshackle eyesores, that will look like something other than Stewart extending kindness to a stranger.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Harding defines kindness as an act of generosity expecting nothing in return.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The sun is setting, and its slanting golden rays make the evening feel like a vast expanse of tenderness.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Daily life deserves tenderness, too.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Harding defines kindness as an act of generosity expecting nothing in return.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Attention around Simpson has since taken off, with people commending him for his kindness and generosity.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His apparently boundless sympathy for others stops short of his own wife.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Idubor extended her sympathies to Long’s family.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But many in Europe are concerned about his potential friendliness with the Kremlin.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Creators on DeviantArt enjoy the convenience, security, and user-friendliness of modern internet retail platforms combined with the broad reach and audience-building features of mainstream social media.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This action demonstrates the president’s monumental cruelty, total lack of empathy and compassion, pathological narcissism, boundless vengefulness, abysmal ignorance and glaring immaturity.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
In the South, manners are all about genuine kindness and compassion.—
Katherine Owen,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Indianapolis didn't crack Nextdoor's list of the 20 friendliest cities in Indiana, but its separate ranking of neighborhoods in the Indy metro area finds plenty of cordiality in Central Indiana.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Liberated from this approach to economic warfare, relations with allies may recover some of their former cordiality.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kindliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindliness. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
