guileless

adjective

guile·​less ˈgī(-ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
: innocent, naive
a straightforward man with a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

Examples of guileless in a Sentence

she was an easygoing, guileless young woman who was comfortable just being herself
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The books have the guileless charm of club-notes. New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 Whereas the title Amerika emphasizes the setting, The Missing Person points to the novel’s focus on the travails of a guileless hero struggling to find his footing in a frenetic new world. Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025 Federico Marchetti, the Italian fashion entrepreneur, is a master of sprezzatura—the courtier’s art of cloaking ambition and cunning in an air of guileless nonchalance. John Seabrook, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 Edelman brings goofy charm to Adam, a gullible and guileless father of four, while Key is consistently funny as the simpering Ken. Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guileless

Word History

Etymology

see guile

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guileless was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guileless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guileless. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

guileless

adjective
guile·​less ˈgī(ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
: not sly or tricky : innocent, naïve
a guileless person
a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on guileless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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