unkind
Americanadjective
adjective
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lacking kindness; unsympathetic or cruel
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archaic
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(of weather) unpleasant
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(of soil) hard to cultivate
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unkind
Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at un- 1, kind 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s no denying that as a comedian, he is often unkind.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Some of the online judgment may seem unkind, but in today’s market, the criticism may be valid.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
History has been unkind to the former first lady, who has been routinely belittled, mocked and misjudged.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
He also shares a desire to cultivate more patience and to become more willing to challenge unkind behavior.
From Science Daily • Dec. 13, 2025
And all the greedy and unkind thoughts you ever had, they know ’em all, and they shame you up and they make you feel sick with yourself...But you can’t get away from ’em.”
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
