as in naive
resembling or suggesting a child; like that of a child
a childlike honesty He had a childlike innocence that others found endearing.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of childlike
Marc Jacobs has been exploring themes of childlike wonder in his last few shows.
—
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Feb. 2025
My brother navigated the single-lane, snaking roads with a mischievous, childlike grin.
—Sara Lieberman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025
My generation is holding on to our sense of childlike imagination.
—The Learning Network, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
By staying true to her own experiences, her music naturally encourages others to embrace courage, authenticity, and a childlike sense of wonder—an organic process that defines the heart of her artistic contribution.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Feb. 2025
My brother navigated the single-lane, snaking roads with a mischievous, childlike grin.
—Sara Lieberman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025
My generation is holding on to our sense of childlike imagination.
—The Learning Network, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
By staying true to her own experiences, her music naturally encourages others to embrace courage, authenticity, and a childlike sense of wonder—an organic process that defines the heart of her artistic contribution.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childlike
Adjective
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Even a naive analysis, one that buys into some very obvious Republican budget tricks, finds that this bill cuts taxes and raises spending by $4 trillion over 10 years — but only pays for about $1.7 trillion of that.—
Ezra Klein,
Mercury News,
28 May 2025
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In the film's early scenes, Cruise displays a naive, unwavering patriotism that seamlessly meshed with the actor's military heroics in Top Gun three years earlier — which makes Kovic's stark transition to impassioned anti-war advocacy all the more surprising in the runtime's second half.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Learning to be resilient from the inside out is essential for developing genuine capacity and successfully navigating challenging times.—
Melissa Cidado,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Being transparent in this way helps build trust and demonstrates a genuine dedication to improvement.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Ahead of the most important game of the year, Luke Esquivel said the key to a strong performance will be simple.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 June 2025
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White is easy, simple, and many times, the best choice for a clean slate.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Hoang said the online allegations — none of which were true — led to threats of violence against the university, and there was talk that some parents withdrew their children because of them.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Mosquitoes are a true scourge, responsible for up to one million human deaths per year.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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That's pretty high in today's electric-mobility market, but the real problem for the new VanMoof will be regaining rider loyalty and trust.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 June 2025
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That seems like a very high number and could create real problems.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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Read on to learn how to keep spiders away, including the best natural ways to keep spiders out of your house: What Kinds Of Spiders Get Indoors?—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
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Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge every winter hoping to catch a glimpse of Florida manatees reveling in the warm, natural spring waters dedicated to their protection.—
Ragan Whitlock,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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During arguments on Wednesday, Megan Savard — attorney for Carter Hart — said that Howden was an unsophisticated, inarticulate witness who didn’t even dress properly for court.—
Dan Robson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Kate Rockwell is sweet and wide-eyed as the kind but unsophisticated Jane.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Childlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childlike. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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