as in naive
too willing to believe things without substantial proof
Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. a credulous audience
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Recent Examples of credulous
On Ukraine, the new strategy does little more than make assertions, many of them too sanguine about what the country needs to survive and too credulous about Russia’s potential to serve as a constructive regional actor.
—
Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Guy seems pretty credulous here, especially after Doris tells him, finally, about the fate of poor Soledad.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
While Mare blossoms quickly under his guidance, the rest lag doltishly behind, using journalism as a pretext to confront an ex, or getting duped by some teens into writing a credulous account of a preposterous youth trend.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Guy seems pretty credulous here, especially after Doris tells him, finally, about the fate of poor Soledad.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
While Mare blossoms quickly under his guidance, the rest lag doltishly behind, using journalism as a pretext to confront an ex, or getting duped by some teens into writing a credulous account of a preposterous youth trend.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for credulous
Adjective
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In Wuthering Heights, Oliver played Isabella Linton, an initially naïve woman infatuated with ideas of romance whose are opened to the reality around her.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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The opera is about Don José, a naive young man who leaves his small town to join the Spanish army.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The show's plot involves a corrupt mayor, gullible townspeople and a kindhearted Bigfoot who longs for community.—
Reena Advani,
NPR,
16 Feb. 2026
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The result is that the current generation of LLMs is far more gullible than people.—
Bruce Schneier,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Chicagoans are ducking for cover as delivery robots turn into heat-seeking missiles for innocent glass structures.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
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Deputies said the deadly shooting appeared to be gang-related, but believe Randolph was an innocent victim.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Yet this widely available gourd—harvested and eaten while still immature, in fact, for ripe cucumbers are yellow and bitter—is not the entirety of the plant.—
Andrés Muedano,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Mar. 2026
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Preterm and low-birth-weight babies are at higher risk than full-term babies of developing NEC, potentially because of their immature digestive systems, according to the National Institutes of Health.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Credulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/credulous. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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