variants
or naïve
1
as in innocent
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a first-time buyer who was so naive that he believed the salesman's spiel and paid good money for the rusty and broken-down car
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
the young girl gave honest and naive answers to the social worker's probing questions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in easy
readily taken advantage of
we get piles of junk mail because you are naive enough to keep entering these dumb contests
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of naive
Speaking of burnout, that was the ultimate destination for the generation that came before, singed by their naive belief that adopting a neo-Stakhanovite approach to work and careers would pay off.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
They’re typically retired, sitting on pensions and 401(k)s, and may be naive to the techniques favored by con artists and reprobates who run riot on the internet.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
And maybe this book is my way of doing that; of telling my naïve younger self that sometimes things do turn out right; that magic really happens.
—Joanne Harris
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Their shared belief in the importance of cinema breaks through the screen, contagiously inflicting those watching, striking a hopeful tone to cherish and admire that also prevents the film from appearing earnest and naive.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naive
Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
They’re typically retired, sitting on pensions and 401(k)s, and may be naive to the techniques favored by con artists and reprobates who run riot on the internet.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
And maybe this book is my way of doing that; of telling my naïve younger self that sometimes things do turn out right; that magic really happens.
—Joanne Harris
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Their shared belief in the importance of cinema breaks through the screen, contagiously inflicting those watching, striking a hopeful tone to cherish and admire that also prevents the film from appearing earnest and naive.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive
Adjective
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Abby is portrayed as a naive and innocent receptionist, but is edgy.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
However, last week, the Civilian Complaint Review Board voted to overrule the investigator who found Alongi and Cianfrocco innocent, finding the pair of officers in violation of using excessive force and abusing their authority.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
19 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
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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
-
Summarizing decades of comics history is no easy task but the team pulls it off well here.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Transforming Amazon into a startup-like environment isn’t an easy task.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Founders are often too eager to scale, or too inexperienced to evaluate talent, and the financial hit isn’t felt immediately.—
Anuradha Gupta,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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And finding a new commissioner would not only take months but may leave the West with an untried, inexperienced leader.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Simmons is a shell of his former self as a playmaker and was never able to develop a jump shot to at least keep defenses honest.—
Noah Camras,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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And being honest about that helped build long-term trust.—
Greg Peters,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Cats are far less trusting than dogs and rarely fall for the pill-in-the-treat ploy.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
15 Sep. 2025
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Police often become less trusting and more suspicious over time.—
Dave Winsborough,
Forbes.com,
10 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
Cite this Entry
“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naive. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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