Kindred spirit

n.kind, joyfulwarm

What it means

A person who shares one's important interests, values, or way of seeing the world.

Reach for it when describing unusually easy recognition and affinity between people

Leila found a kindred spirit in the new conservator who loved forgotten maps.

everyday
peer
equal standing or shared experience matters
not when A peer can have little personal affinity.
warm
confidant
trust permits sharing private thoughts
not when A confidant is defined by secrecy and trust, not similarity.
warm
soulmate
a profound intimate bond is genuinely meant
not when Soulmate often implies romance or destiny and overstates a new friendship.
professional
ally
someone actively supports the same goal or community
not when An ally may differ deeply in temperament and interests.
professional
like-minded person
shared views or goals are the factual basis
not when Like-minded may concern one issue and lacks the personal resonance of kindred spirit.
formal
comrade
shared struggle creates durable solidarity
not when Comrade can sound political, military, or impersonal.
literary
fellow traveler
people share a cause or intellectual path
not when Fellow traveler carries political history and may imply ideology.

true kindred spirit
She recognized a true kindred spirit in the patient young conductor.
fellow kindred spirit
Each fellow kindred spirit brought a different craft to the cooperative.
find a kindred spirit
Travelers often find a kindred spirit around a shared table.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.