variants
or naïve
nɑˈiːv 
naɪˈiːv
: having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge : innocent or simple
a naive belief that all people are good
a naive view of the world
She asked a lot of naive questions.
He's politically naive. = He's naive about the nature of politics.
I was young and naive at the time, and I didn't think anything bad could happen to me.
The plan seems a little naive.
If you're naive enough to believe him, you'll believe anyone.
We're not naive to the fact [=we're not unaware of the fact] that there are problems with the system.
Cite this Entry
“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/naive. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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