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.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kind of

“That trend,” he says, “has really hurt my generation by creating this kind of stereotype that we need our hands held.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

The researchers also examined the characteristics of the particles being accelerated, information that may help reveal what kind of object is powering the process.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

“I feel like that’s helped prolong my career. … You can take what you want and take what works for you … that’s kind of the advice I give.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

After Russia's February 2022 invasion, he launched a research and development programme to "understand what kind of technologies we could actually deliver to the battlefront", working with his co-founder from the space-tech sector.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

The birds—well, they’re some kind of duck . . . or loon?

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• rather