unkind
Americanadjective
adjective
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lacking kindness; unsympathetic or cruel
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archaic
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(of weather) unpleasant
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(of soil) hard to cultivate
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unkind
Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at un- 1, kind 1
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.
Some of the online judgment may seem unkind, but in today’s market, the criticism may be valid.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Ellie married Dillahan because “it would have been unkind on her part if she’d said no.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
He also shares a desire to cultivate more patience and to become more willing to challenge unkind behavior.
From Science Daily • Dec. 13, 2025
Mr Cheetham said the nurses' treatment of Rose had been "unkind and unjustified", with their allegations about conduct "exaggerated".
From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025
As he made his way down the steep plank to the quay, Tyrion could feel unkind eyes upon him.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
