unkind

adjective

un·​kind ˌən-ˈkīnd 

1

: not pleasing or mild : inclement

an unkind climate

2

: lacking in kindness or sympathy : harsh, cruel

unkindness

ˌən-ˈkīn(d)-nəs 

noun

Examples of unkind in a Sentence

It was unkind of you not to invite her.

How could you be so unkind?

Recent Examples on the Web

The planet's environmental conditions have proven unkind to the prehistoric animals unleashed all over the world, while humanity has pretty much lost all interest in these majestic creatures. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 July 2025

Not because the caregiver was unkind but because emotional safety wasn’t what they had been conditioned to anticipate. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Gorgeous archival interview clips with the young Stephanie Mills, Broadway’s original Dorothy in The Wiz, underline the gulf between audiences’ love for her and the unkind barbs of critics at the time. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025

Steve’s first instinct is almost always to say something awful or unkind, and then Murray’s eyes flash a desire to take it back. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unkind

• aligned
• alined
• assigned
• behind
• combined
• confined
• consigned
• declined
• defined
• designed
• divined
• enshrined

Kids Definition

unkind

adjective

un·​kind ˌən-ˈkīnd 

: not kind or sympathetic

an unkind remark

unkindly adverb

unkindness

-ˈkīn(d)-nəs 

noun