kindly
19 antonyms and opposites of kindly, grouped by meaning.
Adj — Warm-hearted, gentle, and considerate in nature.
Antonyms
How to use kindly
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English cyndelic, "natural, kindly," built from "kind" plus the adjective/adverb-forming suffix "-ly."
Full origin of kindly →Frequently asked questions
What does “kindly” mean?
The word “kindly” means warm-hearted, gentle, and considerate in nature. In plain terms, gentle and caring (adjective), or done in a caring way, or used to politely — sometimes pointedly — ask someone to do something.
How do you pronounce “kindly”?
“Kindly” is pronounced KYN-lee (/ˈkaɪn(d)li/ in IPA).
How do you use “kindly” in a sentence?
Here is “kindly” used in a sentence: “The kindly old man always had time to chat with the neighbourhood kids.”
What is another word for “kindly”?
Words with a similar meaning to “kindly” include compassionate, benignant, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted and humane.
What is the opposite of “kindly”?
The opposite of “kindly” — its antonyms — are mean, stern, hateful, malicious and malevolent.
What part of speech is “kindly”?
Depending on how it is used, “kindly” can be an adjective and an adverb.
Where does the word “kindly” come from?
The word “kindly” comes from Old English. From Old English cyndelic, "natural, kindly," built from "kind" plus the adjective/adverb-forming suffix "-ly.".
Is “kindly” a common word?
“Kindly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between kind and kindly?
Kind is an adjective meaning caring and considerate, as in "a kind gesture." Kindly can be an adjective describing a warm-hearted, gentle nature, as in "a kindly old man," or an adverb describing how something is done, as in "she kindly offered to help." So kindly covers both a personal quality and a manner of acting.
Is it rude to say "kindly" in an email?
It can come across that way. Kindly is used to make a polite request or command, but especially one that is slightly firm or impatient, so "kindly respond by Friday" can sound curt or schoolmasterly to some readers. "Please" is the safer, more neutral choice in most business emails.
Is it correct to call someone "a kindly person"?
Yes. As an adjective, kindly means warm-hearted, gentle, and considerate in nature, so "a kindly person" or "a kindly smile" is perfectly standard. This adjective use has a slightly gentle, old-fashioned flavour and is common in descriptions of character.