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View synonyms for kindly

kindly

[ kahynd-lee ]

adjective

, kind·li·er, kind·li·est.
  1. having, showing, or proceeding from a benevolent disposition or spirit; kindhearted:

    kindly people.

  2. gentle or mild, as rule or laws.
  3. pleasant, agreeable, or benign:

    kindly climate.

  4. favorable, as soil for crops.


adverb

  1. in a kind manner; with sympathetic or helpful kindness.
  2. cordially or heartily:

    We thank you kindly.

  3. obligingly; please:

    Would you kindly close the door?

  4. with liking; favorably:

    to take kindly to an idea.

kindly

/ ˈkaɪndlɪ /

adjective

  1. having a sympathetic or warm-hearted nature
  2. motivated by warm and sympathetic feelings

    a kindly act

  3. pleasant, mild, or agreeable

    a kindly climate

  4. archaic.
    natural; normal
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


adverb

  1. in a considerate or humane way
  2. with tolerance or forbearance

    he kindly forgave my rudeness

  3. cordially; pleasantly

    he greeted us kindly

  4. please (often used to express impatience or formality)

    will you kindly behave yourself!

  5. archaic.
    in accordance with nature; appropriately
  6. not take kindly to
    to react unfavourably towards
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈkindliness, noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of kindly1

First recorded before 900; Middle English kyndly (adjective and adverb), Old English gecyndelīc “natural,” gecyndelīce “naturally”; kind 1, -ly
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Idioms and Phrases

see take kindly to .
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Synonym Study

See kind 1.
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Example Sentences

Team advanced statistics did not reflect kindly on the Nationals.

If she uses your overtures as a chance to get meaner, then don’t abandon the tactic — kindly stick to it.

“We would like to thank Zhuyun Dai from Carnegie Mellon University for kindly sharing her DeepCT retrieval results.”

Facebook hasn’t taken kindly to the unofficial board’s public attacks.

From Fortune

There’s no getting around the simple truth that the Joker is slow, to put it kindly.

We kindly inform these little jokers with the dubious jokes that they risk judicial proceedings they may not find funny at all.

But Bone, when we routed him out, could not promise us any more accommodation than he had so kindly given us the first night.

John kindly offered to take Hice to see that the “gay plot” has nothing to do with “recruiting” children, but with equal rights.

The letter kindly asked that the money be returned, but not a single cent has been transferred and nobody held to account.

The agent kindly instructs you to step aside while they investigate.

And if an earthly father would act thus wisely and thus kindly, "how much more your Father which is in Heaven?"

It must be confessed that he felt none too kindly towards Grandfather Mole.

The Professor thought very kindly of the dead cousin, whose money would provide for this great work.

Miss Anne smiled kindly, not dreaming of his perplexity, amused by his Southern warmth.

It was a sad day for Ramona and Alessandro when the kindly Hyers pulled up their tent-stakes and left the valley.

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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.

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