naïveté

naïveté

noun

Definition of NAÏVETÉ

1

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 artlessness, greenness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, innocence, naiveness, naivety (also na{iuml}vety) [chiefly British], naturalness, simplemindedness, simpleness, simplicity, unsophistication, unworldliness, viridity

Related Words candor, frankness, genuineness, honesty, openness, sincerity, straightforwardness, unaffectedness, unpretentiousness; callowness, childishness, coltishness, inexperience, rawness; insularity, parochialism, provincialism; carelessness, heedlessness, thoughtlessness; ignorance, obliviousness, unawareness; credulity, credulousness, gullibility, impressionability; idealism, impracticality, optimism

Near Antonyms affectedness, artificiality, pretentiousness; deviousness, dishonesty, insincerity; disbelief, doubtfulness, incredulity, suspiciousness; carefulness, caution, street smarts, wariness; pessimism, skepticism; maturity

Antonyms artfulness, cynicism, knowingness, sophistication, worldliness

2

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 credulousness, gullibility, naiveness, naïveté (also naivete or naivet{eacute}), simpleness

Related Words artlessness, simplicity, unsophistication, unwariness, unworldliness; belief, credibility, faith, trust

Near Antonyms sophistication, worldliness; distrust, misdoubt, mistrust, suspicion, suspiciousness, wariness; doubt, uncertainty

Antonyms incredulity, skepticism

Variants of NAÏVETÉ

naïveté also naivete or naiveté