variants
or naïve
1
as in innocent
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a first-time buyer who was so naive that he believed the salesman's spiel and paid good money for the rusty and broken-down car
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
the young girl gave honest and naive answers to the social worker's probing questions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in easy
readily taken advantage of
we get piles of junk mail because you are naive enough to keep entering these dumb contests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of naive
Assuming that number is greater than three is naive and guilty of taking him for granted.
Don’t act needy.
—
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2025
There are shades of Jeannie Berlin’s sweet and naive Lila within Gordon’s tragically vulnerable Iris, a romantic heroine whose anxieties are born from the loneliness of modern living.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Regardless, there is no denying the remarkable ascendance of Silicon Valley and its tech leaders, in a single generation, from a collection of indifferent and often politically naive entrepreneurs into king-making, proximate-to-power lords of the political universe.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
From there sprung Brian, played by Lou Taylor Pucci, an alien who looks like a new-age guru in a tracksuit, and, depending on the scene, can be naive, manipulative, aloof, romantic, cruel and even self-pitying.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naive
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2025
There are shades of Jeannie Berlin’s sweet and naive Lila within Gordon’s tragically vulnerable Iris, a romantic heroine whose anxieties are born from the loneliness of modern living.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Regardless, there is no denying the remarkable ascendance of Silicon Valley and its tech leaders, in a single generation, from a collection of indifferent and often politically naive entrepreneurs into king-making, proximate-to-power lords of the political universe.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
From there sprung Brian, played by Lou Taylor Pucci, an alien who looks like a new-age guru in a tracksuit, and, depending on the scene, can be naive, manipulative, aloof, romantic, cruel and even self-pitying.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive
Adjective
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This innocent man spent over three decades behind bars.—
Yash Roy,
CNN,
23 Feb. 2025
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The story itself was a typically innocent Shirley Temple tale, in this a young girl who tries to reconcile her parents and her grandfather after her mother marries a Yankee.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The film, which tells the true story of an all-Black, all-female battalion in WWII, also saw Kerry Washington take home the Best Actress award in a moment of genuine shock and gratitude.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 Feb. 2025
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His deep passion for photography and his genuine connection with his subjects resulted in an intimate body of work, setting him apart in the world of entertainment photojournalism.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Despite its early successes, Robert knows the road to widespread adoption won’t be easy.—
Kody Boye,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
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Apart from big technology firms (which are easier to decarbonize), large industrial companies that have engaged in the climate conversation have set mid-century targets.—
Justin Worland,
TIME,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Senior officials responsible for keeping agencies honest and accountable were among those purged.—
Calvin Woodward,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2025
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Even from an honest left-wing perspective, Haaland’s rise has little to ...—
Paul J. Gessing,
National Review,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Styled by Dani Levi, Kardashian wore a simple floor-length bodycon gown from Balenciaga Couture.—
Mikelle Street,
WWD,
17 Feb. 2025
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Yellow is the simplest, and purple is the most difficult.—
New York Times Games,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Airbrush is also a true full-length style that's proved clutch for taller shoppers (see below).—
Andrea Navarro,
Glamour,
20 Feb. 2025
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Some may worry that setting back your thermostats could end up costing more money, based on the common misconception that furnaces work harder to warm a space back up — but experts say that’s not true.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Their nation now appeared vulnerable and gullible in the eyes of the world—and they’d been cheated out of $7,000.—
Peter Zablocki,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 Feb. 2025
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But this young man has shown me how others see me now: old, gullible, vulnerable.—
Fabiola Santiago,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Commutations for unsophisticated folk who had been over-sentenced would have been defensible, but impunity for practitioners of political violence is what doomed the Weimar Republic.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Feb. 2025
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But Betancourt’s classmates found his take prudish and unsophisticated.—
Jake Nevins,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naive. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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