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
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
Augustus didn’t emerge from uncertain beginnings and civil war through kindliness and good deeds; nor did Jahangir win the throne by patience and piety.
—Maxwell Carter, WSJ, 13 July 2018
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
Mr. McCartney was the exception, radiating aw-shucks kindliness and preaching heartfelt peace and love in many of his songs.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2016
Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2021
Augustus didn’t emerge from uncertain beginnings and civil war through kindliness and good deeds; nor did Jahangir win the throne by patience and piety.
—Maxwell Carter, WSJ, 13 July 2018
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
Mr. McCartney was the exception, radiating aw-shucks kindliness and preaching heartfelt peace and love in many of his songs.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindliness
Noun
-
Topline President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s months-long friendship continued to devolve in spectacular fashion this week as the world’s richest man and the world’s most powerful man engaged in a brutal back-and-forth on their respective social media platforms and beyond.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Maintaining friendships takes a lot of intention, experts said.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Politeness and kindness are attributes that parents want to reinforce and encourage in their children.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
-
Lunches, meetings, phone calls, always Mark’s delicious southern drawl infusing us with his spirit and kindness.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Johnson writes with a tenderness towards her subjects, but not without sacrificing a direct, unflinching approach to her insights on class and waste.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
-
Del Toro pushes through with bravado but also moments of tenderness. 38.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Other thinkers have reflected on the generosity of the shrub and its fruit.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
27 June 2025
-
Unfortunately, a drunken Ben makes a heinous error in judgment that abruptly extinguishes the generosity of their hosts.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Fans, followers and fellow parents took to the comment section to share their sympathy — and confusion.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2025
-
Richard, his family, and his counsel express their deep and sincere sympathy for the family of Edwina Marter.—
Khaleda Rahman
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Most of us rely on visual shortcuts, such as bright colors that might suggest warmth or friendliness, while dark, edgy imagery might be read as rebellious or intense.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
-
Now able to delegate most responsibilities to her staff, Trish credits her business’ growth and longevity to friendliness and empathy.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Thank you for taking action and getting the awesome ranger on the scene with her compassion!—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
-
In this country, abandoned by God and government, the only consolation is the compassion and silent heroism of a few human beings.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
But while Trump and Putin speak of each other with cordiality, relations are testier between the two countries than the rhetoric would indicate.—
Astha Rajvanshi,
NBC news,
26 May 2025
-
His finest strengths are personality and cordiality, and both were amplified on the stage.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kindliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindliness. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share