Meaning & use
unkind
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Behaving in a way that lacks care or consideration for other people's feelings.
Grammar: Gradable adjective; you can say 'very unkind' or 'rather unkind'. Usually describes a person, remark, or action.
Patterns
- unkind to someone
- it is unkind to do something
- an unkind remark
It was unkind of you to laugh at his mistake.
She thought the comment was unkind, so she said nothing.
Why are you being so unkind to your little brother?
Word forms
| comparative | unkinder |
|---|---|
| superlative | unkindest |
Common combinations
- unkind to
- He was unkind to the new student on his first day.
- an unkind remark
- One unkind remark can ruin someone's whole day.
- it is unkind to
- It is unkind to talk about people behind their backs.
- be unkind of someone
- That was unkind of her, but she apologized later.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cruel
- Much stronger than unkind: cruel suggests deliberate or severe harm, while unkind often means thoughtless.
- mean
- Informal and common in speech; it often suggests a wish to hurt, whereas unkind can be unintentional.
- thoughtless
- Focuses on not thinking about others' feelings rather than on the act itself.
- harsh
- Describes words or treatment that are severe and hard to accept, often more forceful than unkind.
Opposites
Word family
- unkindly adverb
- In an unkind way.
- unkindness noun
- The quality or an act of being unkind.
- kindness noun
- The quality of being considerate and helpful.
Commonly confused: unkind or unknowing?
unkind vs unknowing
Means not aware of something, not 'not kind'. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'unkind' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Unkind to someone' is the standard pattern. 'Unkind of' is only used in the pattern 'it was unkind of someone to do something', not with 'was unkind of her sister'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unkind”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.