guileless

adjective

ˈgī(-ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
Definition of guilelessnext
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others she was an easygoing, guileless young woman who was comfortable just being herself

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of guileless The child is as smart and cunning as Dunk is thick and guileless. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026 Ardies plays Hulda, a guileless girl, full of excitement at the prospect of womanhood. — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025 The key for all these people has been a great smile — broad, toothy, guileless — to emphasize the schism between the Others’ experience of togetherness and Carol’s deepening loneliness. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 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 See All Example Sentences for guileless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guileless
  1. unaffected
  2. genuine
  3. honest
  4. innocent
  5. simple
  6. true
  7. naive
Adjective
  • Otherwise, the entity shouldn't care because the entity itself is largely unaffected by the charging order.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Unlike the 13 colonies, East and West Florida were largely unaffected by the British Stamp Act and other taxes that fueled resentment elsewhere because the colonies produced relatively little for the British colonial economy.
    — Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of unaffected
Adjective
  • But his centre-forward qualities extend beyond pure physical strength, with Merino possessing genuine striker instincts, movement and anticipation.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • Blend practical steps with genuine pleasure, and let steady progress feel more rewarding.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026
Definition of genuine
Adjective
  • There still can be that intellectually honest middle position.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026
  • If a profile, photo, or introduction needs updating, choose one that feels alive and honest.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026
Definition of honest
Adjective
  • Instead, Judith completes the task on her own terms, terrorizing Sam and innocent skiers in her wake.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • The investigator, Dan Myers, met with Clapper and came away with the impression that Clapper believed Broadwater was innocent of the crime and Weakfall was guilty.
    — ProPublica, ProPublica, 14 July 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • With the bulge-bracket firms the clear winners, choosing a VC has become simpler.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • The original historic rooms feature heavy drapery, regal-looking bed frames, and simple baths.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • This underscores how Apple's control over its devices, from hardware to software, limits true ownership and poses challenges for long-term digital preservation.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.
    — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of true
Adjective
  • Julius seems to have approached his spying with a sprightly, if naive, enthusiasm.
    — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
  • The show also depicts how the railroad set a precedent for other big businesses to lure in naive citizens seeking their own slice of the American dream.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 July 2026
Definition of naive

Browse Nearby Words

guilefulness
guileless
guilelessly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guileless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileless. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on guileless

Nglish: Translation of guileless for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All