guileless

adjective

guile·​less ˈgī(-ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
Synonyms of guilelessnext
: innocent, naive
a straightforward man with a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

Examples of guileless in a Sentence

she was an easygoing, guileless young woman who was comfortable just being herself
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In the scrum of literature about the Kennedys and their satellites, the wives, saddled with the heavy work of making the family grow, Beller’s book is guileless. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 The child is as smart and cunning as Dunk is thick and guileless. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026 Ardies plays Hulda, a guileless girl, full of excitement at the prospect of womanhood. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025 The key for all these people has been a great smile — broad, toothy, guileless — to emphasize the schism between the Others’ experience of togetherness and Carol’s deepening loneliness. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guileless

Word History

Etymology

see guile

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guileless was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guileless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guileless. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

guileless

adjective
guile·​less ˈgī(ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
: not sly or tricky : innocent, naïve
a guileless person
a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on guileless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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