kindliness

noun

ˈkīn(d)-lē-nəs How to pronounce kindliness (audio)
Definition of kindlinessnext
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tenderness
sympathetic concern for the well-being of others an elderly couple of modest means but infinite kindliness

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindliness
  1. friendship
  2. kindness
  3. tenderness
  4. generosity
  5. sympathy
  6. friendliness
  7. compassion
  8. cordiality
Noun
  • This includes Martin and Fransway defending their relationship spark, Hubbard being accused of playing the single mom card and Olivera and Hubbard confronting each other over their troubled friendship.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 13 July 2026
  • Ferlinghetti’s friendship with Jack Kerouac — and his invitations to escape the Bay Area for the solitude of the Big Sur coast — tied the poet and the novelist to the same stretch of rugged landscape that still draws tourists and artists today.
    — David Caraccio Updated July 13, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
Definition of friendship
Noun
  • Friends and colleagues contrasted her pugnacious political statements with her personal kindness and good humor.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Acts of kindness are few and far between in the punishing Myanmar textile factory where young San Kyi (Nandar Myat Aung) makes a meager living, hunched over a sewing machine.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • Yes, the menu includes Attilio Marini’s famous steak cooked in a cast iron skillet for crispiness on the outside and tenderness inside.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • Wood’s solo, punctuated by Jagger’s falsetto, delivers just the right amount of tenderness and soul.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026
Definition of tenderness
Noun
  • Effective recovery depends not only on the generosity of the donations, but also on strategic approaches that can get the type of aid needed to the people who need it.
    — Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, The Conversation, 13 July 2026
  • In all of these cases, the effect is largely the same—forging intimacy through some level of generosity or gallantry, coupled with pure, physical proximity—and in 2026, all of them are still technically possible.
    — Sara Delgado, Vogue, 9 July 2026
Definition of generosity
Noun
  • Texans mourn Pancake Abbott's Instagram post announcing the news has garnered more than 700 comments as of July 10, with many offering their sympathies to the family.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 July 2026
  • Last month, a US Air Force engineer won public sympathy after being charged with sawing down over a dozen Flock cameras, with his legal defense’s GoFundMe page quickly raising tens of thousands of dollars.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 9 July 2026
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • What that collaboration has come up with is a new knife that pushes Opinel's classic profile to new heights in terms of user friendliness and features.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026
  • The friendliness, the blue-sky, anything-is-possible thinking, and their love of this land.
    — Priyanka Mattoo, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of friendliness
Noun
  • On a much larger scale, psychedelic medicine could elevate our collective well-being and happiness, replacing systemic cycles of depression, anxiety, trauma and isolation with connectedness and compassion.
    — Camille Hoffman, The Conversation, 7 July 2026
  • His journey in ‘Frame’ is about discovering where compassion fits within ambition and responsibility.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 July 2026
Definition of compassion
Noun
  • The cordiality and handsome looks of the dining room are exquisite reminders of elaborate Milanese design.
    — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 16 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Definition of cordiality

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kindlessly
kindliness
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Cite this Entry

“Kindliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindliness. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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