Meaning & use
being kind
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Meanings
phrase
The act of treating people gently and with care, or showing that you want good things for them.
Grammar: This is a gerund phrase and works as a noun: Being kind costs nothing. It can also follow a verb: I enjoy being kind to strangers.
Patterns
- being kind to someone
- being kind
- enjoy being kind
Being kind to your neighbors makes the whole street friendlier.
She believes that being kind is more important than being right.
Being kind doesn't mean you have to agree with everyone.
phrase
The state of behaving in a caring way at a particular moment.
Grammar: Often used after 'by' to explain how something is done: You can help by being kind.
Patterns
- by being kind
- being kind to someone
He surprised everyone by being kind to the new student.
You can make a difference just by being kind.
Being kind at the right moment can change someone's day.
Common combinations
- being kind to someone
- Being kind to someone who is sad can really help.
- being kind costs nothing
- Remember that being kind costs nothing.
- being kind and gentle
- She is known for being kind and gentle with animals.
Synonyms and how they differ
- being nice
- More casual and can mean simply being pleasant; 'being kind' suggests deeper care and generosity.
- being thoughtful
- Focuses on thinking about other people's needs; 'being kind' focuses on warm, caring behavior.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: being kind or being kind of?
being kind vs being kind of
'Kind of' can mean 'slightly' in informal speech, as in 'It's kind of cold.' Do not confuse that with the adjective 'kind' plus 'of' meaning 'caring toward'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'being kind' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'kind to someone or something'. Option 1 uses 'of', which changes the meaning to 'slightly' or 'a type of'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “being kind”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.