as in rude
lacking in kindness, helpfulness, sympathy, etc.
an unkind remark unkind treatment It was unkind of you not to invite her.
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Recent Examples of unkind
His tone isn’t unkind, just formal.
—
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
To them, he will be remembered as a cold, heartless businessman and a shamefully unkind man of the cloth who focused way too much on socializing, traveling and furthering his own agenda.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Currently, Republicans hold narrow margins in both chambers -- but midterm cycles are historically unkind to the sitting president's party.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
The comments were unkind to me.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unkind
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
To them, he will be remembered as a cold, heartless businessman and a shamefully unkind man of the cloth who focused way too much on socializing, traveling and furthering his own agenda.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Currently, Republicans hold narrow margins in both chambers -- but midterm cycles are historically unkind to the sitting president's party.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
The comments were unkind to me.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unkind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unkind
Adjective
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Perhaps surprisingly, the unfair pay and rude management didn’t trigger the most significant changes in attitude.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
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Whether a dish is tied to a long-standing family tradition, cultural heritage, or simply a treasured memory, etiquette experts say there’s nothing rude about choosing to keep certain recipes private.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Trapped allergens can affect the air quality in your bedroom, triggering congestion, scalp itching and irritation, not to mention unpleasant odors.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
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So Miss Manners believes that your sister should apologize — not to her rude guest, but to the other guests, for having been subjected to such an unpleasant scene.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Republican Party has similarly bleak numbers, with 51% of respondents expressing an unfavorable view.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
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Lodaya noted his previous reservations for Westlake, as well as the broad ethylene sector, included a shrinking ethane advantage and unfavorable polyethylene supply-demand dynamics.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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Aggressive, inconsiderate and unsafe operation prevail.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Some do this flippantly, but reader Robin suggested drivers who do this do not care and are flat-out discourteous.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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In 2014, he was found to have been discourteous and used force.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But as athletes have grown more comfortable publicly revealing their mental health battles, most good-faith actors have grown more careful labeling failure in such impolite fashion.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
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Not a historical correction, but an emotional one: an impolite acknowledgment of something people feel they are usually expected to soften, qualify, or leave unsaid.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unkind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unkind. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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