Synonyms of kindly

kindly 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkīn(d)-lē 

1

as in kind

having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others

brought homemade chicken soup out of kindly concern for my health

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in helpful

promoting or contributing to personal or social well-being

a vegetarian diet can be very kindly to a person hoping to lose a few pounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

• helpful
• beneficial
• favorable
• good
• friendly
• satisfying
• profitable
• advantageous
• beneficent
• salutary
• benignant
• desirable
• promising
• gratifying
• benefic
• rewarding
• lucrative
• advisable
• supportive
• propitious
• healthy
• auspicious
• wholesome
• constructive
• healthful
• gainful
• salubrious
• remunerative
• salutiferous
• ameliorative
• amelioratory
• bettering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bad
• unfriendly
• unfavorable
• unhelpful
• disadvantageous
• unprofitable
• harmful
• injurious
• damaging
• deleterious
• insalubrious

kindly

2 of 2

adverb

1

as in nicely

with good reason or courtesy

would you kindly hand me the scissors?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nicely
• thoughtfully
• reasonably
• graciously
• politely
• courteously
• considerately
• well
• fairly
• pleasantly
• respectfully
• justifiably
• wisely
• sensibly
• discreetly
• validly
• prudently
• solicitously
• deferentially
• sweetly
• judiciously
• chivalrously
• sympathetically
• gallantly
• compassionately
• excusably
• decorously
• humanely
• kindheartedly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rudely
• thoughtlessly
• contemptuously
• scornfully
• disdainfully
• cruelly
• inconsiderately
• disrespectfully
• viciously
• discourteously
• unfairly
• heartlessly
• nastily
• impolitely
• snootily
• shabbily

2

as in pretty

chiefly Southern to some degree or extent

their visit was kindly a surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pretty
• quite
• rather
• enough
• relatively
• fairly
• something
• somewhat
• moderately
• a little
• a mite
• to a degree
• a bit
• sort of
• kind of
• of sorts
• like
• slightly
• after a sort
• a tad
• a touch
• more or less
• decently
• vaguely
• acceptably
• tolerably
• partially
• passably
• partly
• nominally
• little
• negligibly
• incompletely
• halfway
• partway
• part
• half

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• very
• highly
• extremely
• greatly
• heavily
• particularly
• especially
• exceedingly
• exceptionally
• terribly
• awfully
• deadly
• significantly
• substantially
• considerably
• frightfully
• hugely
• extensively
• mortally
• mightily
• surpassingly
• beastly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of kindly

Adjective

Jenna and Kevin, the warring magazine writers, seek refuge at The Winters Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast owned by the kindly Christopher and Carol Winters. —Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025

Allen’s combo of flip insincerity and kindly concern is a terrific treat, recalling Bill Murray at his doofy best. —Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025

Adverb

If Madsen is the QB to guide the Broncos to two CFP appearances in three years, history will look kindly upon the 5-foot-10 QB who’s often faced pushback from fans in his years as the starter. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026

For lunch, guests can opt for the aforementioned on-the-go option (which the staff can also kindly pack in a hiking backpack), or make the short journey to the scenic Gooseberry Knob, where a chef’s picnic is served up on the weekends. —Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing kindly

• take kindly to