Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

kindhearted

American  
[kahynd-hahr-tid] / ˈkaɪndˈhɑr tɪd /

adjective

  1. having or showing sympathy or kindness.

    a kindhearted woman.


Synonym Usage

See kind 1.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of kindhearted

First recorded in 1525–35; kind 1 + hearted

Explanation

If you're kindhearted, you're a considerate and empathetic person. When someone loses their home in a fire, their kindhearted neighbors will pitch in to help them. Kindhearted is almost a synonym of kind, but it implies an even deeper layer of sympathy and compassion. A truly kindhearted reaction to seeing someone who's lost or in trouble is to stop and help them. It's kindhearted to welcome new people to your community, to give money to someone who needs it, or to offer your subway seat to someone who looks tired. Your very favorite people are probably the ones who are most kindhearted.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

See Examples For:

The ordinary staff—duty officers in blue shirts, or medics in scrubs—could be kindhearted and seemed disengaged from the revolutionary ideals of their government, former prisoners say.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 23, 2026

Pretti's parents said in a statement he was "a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends."

From Barron's Jan. 25, 2026

Johnny Depp, making another appearance in this book, plays the title character, “born” with scissors for hands, who comes down from his castle to live with the kindhearted Boggs family.

From Salon Nov. 26, 2025

Set in Taishō-era Japan, the series follows Tanjiro Kamado, a kindhearted teenager and the oldest son of a family that makes and sells charcoal.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 12, 2025

And without looking back, she walked down the road, stumbling and crying, thinking only of this one last hope, that her daughters would be found by a kindhearted person who would care for them.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training