unkindly
1 of 2adjective
un·kind·ly ˌən-ˈkīn(d)-lē 
: not kindly
unkindliness noun
unkindly
2 of 2adverb
: in an unkind manner
dwells unkindly long on his final decline
A. H. Johnston
A. H. Johnston
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Chris Smith, BGR, 24 Aug. 2022 At the readings, held in bars, there were internecine squabbles and dramas, and some of the poets treated Wong unkindly. Raffi Khatchadourian, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Don’t waste your practice (or time, or life) on someone unkind, though — and please see how unkindly your partner treats you. Washington Post, 30 May 2021 The ops people get upset that the engineers are treating them unkindly and things spiral downward from there. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2021 This is not the first time Hailey Bieber shut down the notion that her husband of two years treats her unkindly. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2021 China imports significant amounts of oil from Iran, and might look unkindly on efforts to destabilize its government. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 2 Sep. 2021 As a film historian, he was known for championing movies, directors and screenwriters who had been treated unkindly by others. New York Times, 25 Mar. 2021 There amid the waxworks, Herman plays the court jester, as a few intimates unkindly note. New York Times, 1 Jan. 2021 See More
Adverb
Approval ratings might drop as more people will look unkindly at some X-Men. Chris Smith, BGR, 24 Aug. 2022 At the readings, held in bars, there were internecine squabbles and dramas, and some of the poets treated Wong unkindly. Raffi Khatchadourian, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Don’t waste your practice (or time, or life) on someone unkind, though — and please see how unkindly your partner treats you. Washington Post, 30 May 2021 The ops people get upset that the engineers are treating them unkindly and things spiral downward from there. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2021 This is not the first time Hailey Bieber shut down the notion that her husband of two years treats her unkindly. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2021 China imports significant amounts of oil from Iran, and might look unkindly on efforts to destabilize its government. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 2 Sep. 2021 As a film historian, he was known for championing movies, directors and screenwriters who had been treated unkindly by others. New York Times, 25 Mar. 2021 There amid the waxworks, Herman plays the court jester, as a few intimates unkindly note. New York Times, 1 Jan. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing unkindly
unkindly 1 of 2
adjective
as in unkind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unkind
- contemptuous
- disparaging
- scornful
- snide
- disdainful
- derogatory
- spiteful
- deprecating
- snotty
- obnoxious
- opprobrious
- hateful
- cruel
- unloving
- bitchy
- malignant
- malicious
- malevolent
- malign
- despiteful
- virulent
- mean-spirited
- vicious
- vindictive
- scoundrelly
- catty
- scurvy
- resentful
- envious
- mean
- jealous
- devious
- nasty
- jaundiced
- evil
- acrimonious
- snakelike
- vitriolic
- baneful
- rancorous
- hostile
- bitter
- bad
- baleful
- caustic
- harsh
- inimical
- poisonous
- scathing
- venomous
- acrid
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- kindly
- sympathetic
- good
- warm
- kind
- gracious
- friendly
- pleasant
- amiable
- compassionate
- kindhearted
- agreeable
- nice
- affable
- affectionate
- sweet
- genial
- cordial
- warmhearted
- amorous
- good-hearted
- tender
- magnanimous
- noble
- humane
- tenderhearted
- benign
- altruistic
- benevolent
- benignant
- humanitarian
- loving
- philanthropic
- philanthropical
- high-minded
- unmalicious
unkindly
2 of 2adverb
as in cruelly
Synonyms & Similar Words
- cruelly
- ungraciously
- disagreeably
- insensitively
- pitilessly
- callously
- heartlessly
- bitterly
- unfeelingly
- mercilessly
- ruthlessly
- inhumanely
- balefully
- resentfully
- vindictively
- caustically
- felly
- contemptuously
- hostilely
- ill
- enviously
- jealously
- vituperatively
- scornfully
- disdainfully
- invidiously
- soullessly
- diabolically
- antagonistically
- venomously
- spitefully
- nastily
- obnoxiously
- thoughtlessly
- inconsiderately
- hard-heartedly
- evil-mindedly
- hatefully
- acrimoniously
- viciously
- fiendishly
- ill-naturedly
- maliciously
- caddishly
- rancorously
- malevolently
- kindlessly
- malignantly
- despitefully
- wickedly
- villainously
- virulently
- cattily
- bitchily
- deprecatingly
- misanthropically
- envyingly
- meanly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- kindly
- benevolently
- benignantly
- graciously
- pleasantly
- amiably
- cordially
- agreeably
- genially
- affably
- nicely
- lovingly
- sympathetically
- thoughtfully
- sensitively
- solicitously
- good-humoredly
- considerately
- humanely
- good-naturedly
- feelingly
- altruistically
- compassionately
- gently
- tenderly
- sweetly
- mercifully
- soulfully
- kindheartedly
- good-heartedly
- divinely
- angelically
- softheartedly
- polymorphean
- polymorphic
- polymorphically
- polymorphism
- polymorphisms
- polymorphonuclear
- polymorphonuclear leukocyte
- polymorphonuclears
- polymorphonucleate
- polymorphous
- polymorphous perverse
- polymorphously
- polymorphs
- polymorphy
- polymyarial
- polymyarian
- polymyarity
- Polymyodi
- polymyodian
- polymyodous
- polymyoid
- polymyosites
- polymyositides
- polymyositis
- polymyositises