kind of

Idioms  

1. Also, sort of. Rather, somewhat, as in I'm kind of hungry, or The bird looked sort of like a sparrow. [Colloquial; c. 1800] This usage should not be confused with a kind of or a sort of, which are much older and refer to a borderline member of a given category (as in a kind of a shelter or a sort of a bluish color). Shakespeare had this usage in Two Gentlemen of Verona (3:1): “My master is a kind of a knave.” Also see of a kind.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kind of

Although there is some rain in the short-range forecast, it is unlikely to be the kind of prolonged amount needed to alleviate the dry conditions over much of the UK.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“It’s full of possibility, kind of romantic, very French,” Novack said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

“In my Nigerian culture, we don’t really announce this kind of news,” she wrote then.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

“It’s kind of an investment that you can’t really get to without either borrowing against it or selling, which then upends your life. For me, it just doesn’t feel like it’s liquid enough.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

“What kind of business do you two have?”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Related Words

• rather