Use 'sort of' to express hesitance or to avoid making a strong, direct statement about your opinion or knowledge on a subject.

Hedging Statement

'Sort of' can indicate that something is mildly interesting or enjoyable, but not enough to be unequivocally positive.

Mild Interest

Using 'sort of' can soften a statement, reducing the risk of offending someone or sounding too blunt.

'Sort of' can imply that something fits into a general category without being a typical or full example.

Use it when referring to people or things that do not exactly fit the usual characteristics of a category.

It indicates something belongs to a category to a moderate or lesser degree than what might be expected.

'Sort of' can be a polite way to introduce a suggestion without imposing it on the listener.

It conveys that you're not certain about what you're saying or that you might not have complete knowledge of it.

When asking for clarification or questioning someone, 'sort of' makes the question sound less direct and less confrontational.

When someone performs a role but not in the traditional sense, 'sort of' qualifies their title or role.

'Sort of' shows that there’s a connection or similarity to a category, but it's not strong or essential.