as in naive
too willing to believe things without substantial proof
Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. a credulous audience
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Recent Examples of credulous
Guy seems pretty credulous here, especially after Doris tells him, finally, about the fate of poor Soledad.
—
Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Almost universally—lurking over Knickerbocker’s shoulder, Irving raises an eyebrow: This historian is credulous, and not entirely reliable.
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
While Mare blossoms quickly under his guidance, the rest lag doltishly behind, using journalism as a pretext to confront an ex, or getting duped by some teens into writing a credulous account of a preposterous youth trend.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Almost universally—lurking over Knickerbocker’s shoulder, Irving raises an eyebrow: This historian is credulous, and not entirely reliable.
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
While Mare blossoms quickly under his guidance, the rest lag doltishly behind, using journalism as a pretext to confront an ex, or getting duped by some teens into writing a credulous account of a preposterous youth trend.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for credulous
Adjective
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Critics say Starmer was, at best, naive in not recognizing the risks involved.—
JILL LAWLESS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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Critics say Mandelson’s ties with Epstein made his appointment too risky and Starmer was, at best, naive.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The result is that the current generation of LLMs is far more gullible than people.—
Bruce Schneier,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Jan. 2026
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Norris’s archetypically American tale gave Stroheim an opportunity to build on his earlier depictions of Americans abroad as gullible and oblivious.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Chris Harrison sparked controversy Wednesday for a seemingly innocent request posted on social media.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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The modern Western culture around nudity really teaches you shame about something that is so human and natural and innocent.—
Nicola Dall'Asen,
Allure,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film’s vintage patina doesn’t detract from rising actor Will Price’s confident performance as an immature mobster who prefers bitcoin to stacks of Benjamins.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Unlike older drugs, this formula safely accounts for a baby’s immature metabolism.—
Kwesi Akonu Adom Mensah Forson,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Credulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/credulous. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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