NAÏVETÉS Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

naïveté

noun

nä-ˌēv-ˈtā

variants also naivete or naiveté

Definition of naïveté

as in innocence

the quality or state of being simple and sincere her naïveté led her to leave her new car unlocked while she shopped at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in gullibility

readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence though he was streetwise, the investigative reporter regularly assumed an air of naïveté when he was interviewing confidence men, charlatans, counterfeiters, and other assorted swindlers of the general public

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of naïveté Emma D’Arcy imbues Rhaenyra’s every line with a breathless giddiness that conveys the character’s reckless naivete. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 June 2026 These character endnotes, whether they’re read as youthful naiveté or an insulting interpretation of youthful naiveté, contribute to the finale’s bitter aftertaste. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 June 2026 Miho Sakoda’s Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San) managed a deft balance of girlish naiveté, true love and bitter betrayal with a soprano of apparently limitless expressivity. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 11 Apr. 2026 Editor-in-chief Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson) is a mix of blustery Michael Scott naivete and Jim Halpert everyman likability in his attempts to resurrect the struggling Toledo Truth Teller. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for naïveté

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté

Noun

Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and his attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Glazer reminded him of the presumption of innocence and told him not to discuss what happened during his arrest, only to speak privately with his attorney.

— Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 July 2026

Definition of innocence

Noun

With no way to secure this crucial boundary, Microsoft and its peers are left to erect complicated and ad hoc guardrails designed to rein in the consequences of this incurable gullibility.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026
Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Definition of gullibility

Noun

Mixing knits with leather creates texture and contrast in the outfit, while the height and simplicity of these solid-color boots helps ground the overall look.

— Abby Morgan Lebet, Glamour, 6 July 2026
Professionals must actively map where their risk truly lies, assessing counterparty exposure, income correlation, and cost repricing, rather than mistaking simplicity for safety.

— Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of simplicity

Noun

Instead, candidates’ positions on Israel and Gaza, like pledging to cosponsor legislation cutting off some weapons to Israel, are emerging as more of a credibility test, progressives said.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
The frontier model business, which attracted billions in capital on the premise that raw intelligence would be the moat, is facing a structural credibility problem.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of credibility

Noun

What’s interesting in this context is the ignorance portrayed by financial teams with respect to building core strategies.

— Dr. Saheer Nelliparamban, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
And ignorance — or, in the case of some people and/or bots on social media, denial that this is a thing at all — is not an excuse.

— David Aldridge, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of ignorance

Noun

But Iraq’s inability to keep the margin of defeat narrow when that very well could be the tiebreaker for one of the top eight third-place spots showed a bit of naivety that could prove very damaging.

— Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Willmett and Harris are clearly uninterested in euphemisms, so there’s an exaggerated naivety to their lyrics.

— Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026

Definition of naivety

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naiveness

naïveté

naivety

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Style

“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of naïveté

noun

Example Sentences

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