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 baby made the rounds of the cabin, his guileless grin mirrored in faces all the way back to the aft toilet.
—
Murr Brewster, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2025
The books have the guileless charm of club-notes.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 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
Edelman brings goofy charm to Adam, a gullible and guileless father of four, while Key is consistently funny as the simpering Ken.
—Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guileless
Murr Brewster, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2025
The books have the guileless charm of club-notes.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 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
Edelman brings goofy charm to Adam, a gullible and guileless father of four, while Key is consistently funny as the simpering Ken.
—Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guileless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guileless
Adjective
-
This survival strategy has, coincidentally, resulted in some strains of bacteria being unaffected by certain antibiotics, drugs that trace their origins to natural compounds.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The westbound lanes are unaffected.—
Michelle Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ira Parker, the co-creator and showrunner behind A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, confirms these pests were a genuine issue when filming this big set piece.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Senate approved its version (SB 7040) by a largely partisan vote of 29-10, after defeating a Democratic amendment to restrict the spending to genuine disasters.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
An honest basketball coach without a real playbook.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Clear, calm boundaries and honest talks can protect your peace while keeping family bonds strong.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As if the wide-eyed innocent who arrived here has been hardened.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Other concerns, Corrado notes, include the chance that an extremely sensitive DNA test could generate a DNA profile of someone who was never at a crime scene but whose DNA was transferred there by a family member or through other innocent means.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But despite his characteristic command and media savvy, Jackson’s campaign never gained true momentum, scoring mixed results.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This, however, is not true of US Skimo, which has been rapidly professionalizing as a governing body since the sport was announced as a future Winter Olympic event back in 2021.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The first is Jonathan Harker, naïve English solicitor despatched to Transylvania to do a deal with a mysterious Count whose plan is to dip his fangs into Victorian England.—
Demetrios Matheou,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Winning by rallying the naïve and clueless is one thing, but administering a throbbing behemoth is a greater challenge.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guileless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileless. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
