as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
his persona may be that of an aw-shucks country singer, but offstage he is anything but
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Recent Examples of aw-shucks
Played by the versatile Domhnall Gleeson, in a performance that couldn’t be more different from his memorably unnerving turns in The Patient and Black Mirror, incoming Truth-Teller editor-in-chief Ned Sampson has a sort of aw-shucks, pre-Ozark-Jason-Bateman vibe.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Like Francona, Miley’s aw-shucks facade belies an understanding of the game that borders on genius.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 16 June 2025
Monologuing for an hour and a half is no walk in the park, but the genial A-lister tackles the task at hand with aw-shucks charisma and confidence.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Wilson puts most of his aw-shucks charm to the side to play this spacey wannabe, portraying Eli instead with a pitiable whine or some far-out detachment.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Almost immediately, Carrie made the character her own, bringing in a sort of aw-shucks Midwestern sweetness.
—Michelle King, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
The connections Plunkett draws between Frost’s lyric poems and their literary influences are valuable, particularly for anyone taken in by Frost’s aw-shucks persona.
—Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
His aw-shucks face was his biggest asset as Joe Biden and even the devil himself.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Like Francona, Miley’s aw-shucks facade belies an understanding of the game that borders on genius.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 16 June 2025
Monologuing for an hour and a half is no walk in the park, but the genial A-lister tackles the task at hand with aw-shucks charisma and confidence.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Wilson puts most of his aw-shucks charm to the side to play this spacey wannabe, portraying Eli instead with a pitiable whine or some far-out detachment.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Almost immediately, Carrie made the character her own, bringing in a sort of aw-shucks Midwestern sweetness.
—Michelle King, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
The connections Plunkett draws between Frost’s lyric poems and their literary influences are valuable, particularly for anyone taken in by Frost’s aw-shucks persona.
—Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
His aw-shucks face was his biggest asset as Joe Biden and even the devil himself.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aw-shucks
Adjective
-
Their attempts at political discourse often veered toward the group speaking in vague, naïve universalisms.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
4 Sep. 2025
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At times on Saturday, Bremen were terribly naive, exhibiting all the fragility expected of a team built from inexperienced players.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Unless more Democrats start being realistic, many more innocent people will unfortunately continue to suffer.—
Christopher Tremoglie,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ben Lewis Doherty, playing a boy named Sam whose life is upended by Robbie, is the show’s greatest innocent, a softhearted moppet who warns deer to be careful when crossing the street.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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With just a few chairs, a handful of tables and a simple tent, the setting was intimate but filled with love and intention.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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And one of these, for those of us accustomed to British conventions but who follow the game in continental Europe, is the simple passage of time.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead of blasting in all directions, like a primitive roadside bomb, an EFP directs and concentrates the force of its explosion.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The body shell, fenders, and low-slung doors were hung on a ladder-type frame, primitive compared to the unibody MGB roadster that debuted in 1962.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aw-shucks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aw-shucks. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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