variants also naivete or naiveté
1
2
as in gullibility
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence though he was streetwise, the investigative reporter regularly assumed an air of naïveté when he was interviewing confidence men, charlatans, counterfeiters, and other assorted swindlers of the general public

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of naïveté Tascioni is an exuberant person by nature, which many antagonists mistake for naivete. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 Biden’s naivete on the matter can perhaps be excused, but not Trump’s. John Tamny, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 Perhaps the spectacle of naivete is all part of the Altman image. Allison Morrow, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024 So Americans who don't travel, who 80 percent don't have a passport, who are uneducated, are in their extraordinary naivete. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 The naivete is challenging to understand when attackers use virtually every standard tool—from hardware and software to cloud resources—to conduct their operations. Denis Mandich, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 Anderson plays Shelley with a consummate sweetness that sometimes registers as naivete. Esther Zuckerman, TIME, 7 Sep. 2024 That is sort of where the disappointment comes from … my naivete. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Sep. 2024 But for whatever naivete the interaction implies, Sweetpea is no ingénue. Chloe Schama, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
  • Teni, just 2 years old at the time, was forced to witness the appalling scene unfold through a lens of innocence.
    Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Attorneys for Michael Madigan opened their final bid to persuade jurors of his innocence by hearkening back to a memorable nickname for the former speaker: the Sphinx.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • External vacuum sealers tend to be smaller and more easily storable, and some offer onboard bag roll storage and bag cutters for all-in-one simplicity.
    Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appétit, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Poetic in its simplicity yet crafted with as meticulous attention to detail as Hujar’s reflections on his day, this is a singular meditation on the life of an influential artist for whom major recognition came only after his death.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Cotter spent significant time Tuesday attacking the credibility of Fidel Marquez, a former ComEd executive who cut a deal with prosecutors in order to avoid serious prison time.
    Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Some opposition politicians questioned the credibility of the plan.
    Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The world of these landowners is threatened by discrimination and government ignorance.
    Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Lack of understanding: Many societal issues stem from ignorance of historical and systemic inequalities.
    London Business School, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • As the second season wears on, this notion warps the plot in ways that strain credulity, and the series’ innumerable cliffhangers gum up the narrative with artificial tension.
    Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
  • In his absence — and the long-term absences, at various times, of Barnes, Quickley, Barrett, Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk and others — the Raptors have had to throw out some lineups that strain credulity as legitimate NBA lineups.
    Eric Koreen, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The show navigated the stars' early domestic lives, with Simpson's apparent naivety endearing her to viewers.
    John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Confronted with Prussia’s world-class public educational system and effective tariffs, the British elite fretted about the naivety of free trade and the quality of their country’s breeding stock.
    John Micklethwait, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2014
Noun
  • Consumer confidence is showing signs of decline as economic optimism wanes By This story incorporates reporting from Boston Herald, RepublicWorld and Independent.ie.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Carroll expressed optimism that a resolution was possible, citing Holcomb's resignation and the absence of Justice Jimmy Fisher from Monday's meeting as evidence of growing unease with the current stalemate.
    Eplunus Colvin, arkansasonline.com, 28 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near naïveté

Cite this Entry

“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!