kind of

From a reanalysis of kind of in a phrase such as a kind of merry dance from “a kind + of + merry dance” (a type among merry dances) to “a + kind-of merry + dance” (a somewhat merry dance).

• "I'm getting kind of tired. Could we finish tomorrow?"
• "That's the right answer, kind of."
• "He kind of hated the idea of Hugo having been with someone else, even though that was superhypocritical, considering Brand's own previous arrangements with Ramie and Jackson."

• sort of
• sorta
• kinda sorta

• kinds of