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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Recent Examples of childlike
Those who ignore this reality are either narcissists or people stuck in a childlike stage of psychological development.
—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
His daughter mirrored his parvenue of a wife, a woman beneath him not in station but rather in intellect, someone easily affected and prone to childlike ideas.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Divulging in childlike wonder is my secret to a joyful life, and building Lego sets has become my favorite way to achieve this.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Cecilie Bahnsen’s Asics Mary Jane is ultramodern and childlike all at once, not dissimilar from the Danish designer’s line of romantic, frilly, and poofy, voluminous clothing.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
His daughter mirrored his parvenue of a wife, a woman beneath him not in station but rather in intellect, someone easily affected and prone to childlike ideas.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Divulging in childlike wonder is my secret to a joyful life, and building Lego sets has become my favorite way to achieve this.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Cecilie Bahnsen’s Asics Mary Jane is ultramodern and childlike all at once, not dissimilar from the Danish designer’s line of romantic, frilly, and poofy, voluminous clothing.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childlike
Adjective
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Abby is portrayed as a naive and innocent receptionist, but is edgy.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The clash of pristine tailoring with naïve florals, seed beading and distressed leather.—
Blue Carreon,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Her practice stands out for its meticulous, trial-ready approach and genuine commitment to her clients.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Leaders who demonstrate genuine care for their people during difficult transitions protect not only their organizational culture but also their long-term competitiveness.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Mahle views its range-extenders as far more than simple independent add-on, looking at them as one component in a holistic driving architecture in which smaller batteries can replace larger ones while still alleviating, rather than intensifying, range anxiety.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Sep. 2025
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For a similarly simple, comfortable option that’s a little more sophisticated, try a stylish ivory sweater (yes, white after Labor Day is definitely acceptable in France), particularly in a rollneck fashion that will suit silhouettes of all types.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Slater’s first blast of the evening was a true wall-scraper in the top of the third, barely clearing the center-field fence to give the Giants an early 1-0 lead.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
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And remember, the point spread is designed to divide the wagers evenly, not be a true indicator of value.—
Jack Magruder,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The real clash with liberals is not over how big government should be, but over what the state should be empowered to do.—
Allan J. Lichtman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
That was an interesting time because so many people were trying to capitalize and not doing stuff that was real.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As the day went on, the foundation settled into a softer, velvety finish that looked smooth and natural without crossing into shiny territory.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Parasites are found throughout our natural world and occur in nearly every major animal group.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And there’s been this story that retail investors are unsophisticated.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Police describe it as a brazen, unsophisticated robbery that occurred around 5:30 p.m. on June 18, targeting a jewelry store on the 5100 block of Mowry Avenue in Fremont.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Childlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childlike. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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