as in naive
resembling or suggesting a child; like that of a child
a childlike honesty He had a childlike innocence that others found endearing.
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Recent Examples of childlike
Those who ignore this reality are either narcissists or people stuck in a childlike stage of psychological development.
—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
His daughter mirrored his parvenue of a wife, a woman beneath him not in station but rather in intellect, someone easily affected and prone to childlike ideas.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Divulging in childlike wonder is my secret to a joyful life, and building Lego sets has become my favorite way to achieve this.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Cecilie Bahnsen’s Asics Mary Jane is ultramodern and childlike all at once, not dissimilar from the Danish designer’s line of romantic, frilly, and poofy, voluminous clothing.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
His daughter mirrored his parvenue of a wife, a woman beneath him not in station but rather in intellect, someone easily affected and prone to childlike ideas.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Divulging in childlike wonder is my secret to a joyful life, and building Lego sets has become my favorite way to achieve this.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Cecilie Bahnsen’s Asics Mary Jane is ultramodern and childlike all at once, not dissimilar from the Danish designer’s line of romantic, frilly, and poofy, voluminous clothing.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childlike
Adjective
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By enjoying the exciting spectacle, their fans have willingly become mindless followers—idol worshippers who are too misguided, and naive, to see they’re being led toward their own destruction.—
Yvonne Kim,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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Speaking of burnout, that was the ultimate destination for the generation that came before, singed by their naive belief that adopting a neo-Stakhanovite approach to work and careers would pay off.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Her practice stands out for its meticulous, trial-ready approach and genuine commitment to her clients.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
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Leaders who demonstrate genuine care for their people during difficult transitions protect not only their organizational culture but also their long-term competitiveness.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their simple plan goes awry when one of their relatives wants a posh Korean wedding banquet in the heartfelt romantic comedy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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The inspiration The Copleys wanted a low-water garden that would be simple to care for.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Early in the novel, Harold points out that authors are constantly looking for ways to bury their true beliefs in their text, rather than state them outright.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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Like many Stephen King stories, the truest horrors are the ones that exist in reality.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The real clash with liberals is not over how big government should be, but over what the state should be empowered to do.—
Allan J. Lichtman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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That was an interesting time because so many people were trying to capitalize and not doing stuff that was real.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Her pieces consisted of geometric tops influenced by flowers’ natural designs and also modernized micro shorts.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
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Many lodges are locally run, and connections to nearby villages feel natural, not staged.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Police describe it as a brazen, unsophisticated robbery that occurred around 5:30 p.m. on June 18, targeting a jewelry store on the 5100 block of Mowry Avenue in Fremont.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
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Although the answer was reasonable for an unsophisticated seller, the listing agent should have required confirmation of licensing status with the Registrar of Contractors.—
Christopher A. Combs,
AZCentral.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Childlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childlike. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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