Entry Word: naive

Function: adjective

Meaning:

or naïve

1 lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment <a first-time buyer who was so naive that he believed the salesman and paid good money for the rusty and broken-down car>

Synonyms green, ingenuous, innocent, simple, simpleminded, uncritical, unknowing, unsophisticated, unsuspecting, unsuspicious, unwary, unworldly, wide-eyed

Related Words callow, dewy, inexperienced, raw; childlike, idealistic, impractical; believing, credulous, gullible, susceptible, trustful, trusting, unguarded; beguiled, duped, gulled, tricked; careless, heedless

Near Antonyms critical, doubting, incredulous, skeptical, suspecting, suspicious, unconvinced; careful, cautious, guarded, leery, wary, watchful; down-to-earth, hardheaded, pragmatic (also pragmatical), realistic, sober

Antonyms cynical, experienced, knowing, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise

2 free from any intent to deceive or impress others <the young girl gave honest and naive answers to the social workerʼs questions> — see guileless
3 readily taken advantage of <we continue to get junk mail because you are naive enough to keep entering these dumb contests> — see easy 2