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

The spacecraft will attempt to operate in a quasi-stable orbit around the tiny moon, an unusually difficult maneuver because Phobos does not offer the kind of stable orbital environment found around larger worlds.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

The problem is, the brand—and, to some extent, its management—is wed to a specific kind of go power: the charismatic flat-four engine and mechanically linked all-wheel drive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

And now Abah was on the phone to Yusron, making exactly that kind of demand.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

“It’s certainly not do or die, but ... just to kind of get back feeling good.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

If I refused, he’d have thought that he wasn’t a priority for me, and what kind of girlfriend would do that?

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• rather