as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
his persona may be that of an aw-shucks country singer, but offstage he is anything but
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Recent Examples of aw-shucks
Sadler was an aw-shucks, yes-sir, no-ma’am twangy singer who was raised in Texas.
—
Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Gillis, with his aw-shucks demeanor and decidedly un-PC comedy, represents exactly the kind of normal-guy sensibility Bud Light desperately needs to appeal to after alienating its core audience.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
Part of Allen’s aw-shucks charm has been carrying himself as just one of the guys, always approachable and eager to please.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 23 July 2024
McCain, played by Jason Tam, is presented as an aw-shucks straight man who can’t believe what his party has come to.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
And for a long time, Mr. Justice and his family’s companies have managed to stave off one threat after another with wily legal tactics notably at odds with the aw-shucks persona that has endeared him to so many West Virginians.
—Maureen Farrell, New York Times, 12 May 2024
Damon’s Tom does transform, but the actor’s aw-shucks wholesomeness in early scenes fails to persuasively foreshadow the protagonist’s violent potential.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The aw-shucks, nose-to-the-grindstone image is the real deal, insist friends and family from back in the sprawling Phoenix suburbs.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024
Their tone departed from the more wholesome, aw-shucks style of KVN.
—Simon Shuster, TIME, 4 Jan. 2024
Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Gillis, with his aw-shucks demeanor and decidedly un-PC comedy, represents exactly the kind of normal-guy sensibility Bud Light desperately needs to appeal to after alienating its core audience.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
Part of Allen’s aw-shucks charm has been carrying himself as just one of the guys, always approachable and eager to please.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 23 July 2024
McCain, played by Jason Tam, is presented as an aw-shucks straight man who can’t believe what his party has come to.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
And for a long time, Mr. Justice and his family’s companies have managed to stave off one threat after another with wily legal tactics notably at odds with the aw-shucks persona that has endeared him to so many West Virginians.
—Maureen Farrell, New York Times, 12 May 2024
Damon’s Tom does transform, but the actor’s aw-shucks wholesomeness in early scenes fails to persuasively foreshadow the protagonist’s violent potential.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The aw-shucks, nose-to-the-grindstone image is the real deal, insist friends and family from back in the sprawling Phoenix suburbs.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024
Their tone departed from the more wholesome, aw-shucks style of KVN.
—Simon Shuster, TIME, 4 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aw-shucks
Adjective
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By my naive estimation, our home sat at least three blocks south of the street no wildfire could realistically cross in any event other than the biblical apocalypse.—
Mikey O'Connell,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Jan. 2025
-
His first assignment is prosecuting Ma Ka-kit (Mason Fung), a naive young man pressured by his legal team into pleading guilty to drug charges despite his innocence.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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What does that have to do with innocent bystander Zac Efron?—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
16 Jan. 2025
-
They have been used before in crowded city centers in Europe to take innocent lives and spread fear.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As long as a biopsy is done and it’s recognized early, there’s a very high chance of cure with very simple and minimally invasive procedures.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
24 Jan. 2025
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Organize your ideas with the timeless power of the triad—three points are simple, memorable, and impactful.—
Martin Gutmann,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
-
Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Thesaurus Entries Near aw-shucks
Cite this Entry
“Aw-shucks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aw-shucks. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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