naiveness

Definition of naivenessnext
1
as in naïveté
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence I can't believe the naiveness of people who don't realize there's always some catch to so-called free offers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiveness
Noun
  • Members must accommodate themselves to its fictions, with varying mixtures of gullibility and cynicism; followers shown proof that the leader has lied may admire him all the more for his tactical cleverness.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Mason highlights – with levity and humor – how erroneous ideas, gullibility, and blinders can lead even people who should know better down rabbit holes.
    Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • Inside the wilderness, a big part of it is to return naturalness, right?
    Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 29 July 2026
  • By the middle of the nineteenth century, the seriousness and stability of their suits suggested a new naturalness for their authority that came to seem both right and inevitable.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Warchus adds that the production’s essential character, built on simplicity rather than spectacle, will not change with the move.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The restaurant has survived mostly by word-of-mouth, Quintana said, quite a feat in today’s restaurant landscape, and its simplicity is a stand-out feature among Kansas Citians.
    Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Statham plays a former Marine who has to prove his innocence after he’s framed for murdering his billionaire boss.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 23 Aug. 2026
  • For her, that’s enough to fully confront Pastor Nelson after trying to get through to Guthrie about Manny’s innocence doesn’t work.
    Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The movie features several spectacular set pieces, some of which defy gravity and credulity, but at its heart, The Fugitive is a classically satisfying mystery in the Agatha Christie tradition.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Because these stories have to dramatize a search for normalcy, its leads tend to be awkward in ways that strain credulity.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • There’s a tonal tug-of-war in this movie between naughtiness and aching sincerity.
    Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Mitchell’s own imitation of Spielbergian life, despite its meticulous re-creation (and gleeful destruction) of eighties suburbia, stumbles into an uncanny valley between sincerity and cynicism, between unintentional comedy and deliberate homage.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression.
    Tara Larson, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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