Synonyms for kindness
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Compassion
compassion, generosity, mercy, beneficence, graciousness, benevolence, kindliness, gentleness, affection, love, sympathy, grace, goodness, tenderness, humanity, charity, good turn, philanthropy, service, clemency, favor US, favour UK, indulgence
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The state of being kind.
Jamie's kindness is legendary, so much that people have taken advantage of her.
Forms
- Plural
- kindnesses → compassions, generosities, mercies, beneficences…
Choose the right word
Kindness and tenderness are personal; benevolence and charity are general. Kindness extends to all sentient beings, whether men or animals, in prosperity or in distress.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- mercy And so God took mercy on her, and gave her a girl.
- compassion Compassion is entirely absent from his character.
- generosity Two traits of Americans are generosity and energy.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| kindness | rising | |
| mercy | rising | |
| compassion | rising | |
| generosity | rising | |
| beneficence | rising | |
| forgivingness | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- love1
- 5 letters
- grace1, favor2, mercy2
- 6 letters
- favour2
- 7 letters
- service2, charity3
- 8 letters
- humanity4, goodness2, sympathy3, clemency3
- 9 letters
- affection3
- 10 letters
- compassion3, generosity5, tenderness3, indulgence3, gentleness3, kindliness
- 11 letters
- benevolence4, beneficence4
- 12 letters
- philanthropy4, graciousness3
- 13 letters
- forgivingness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (favor2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- gentillesse