as in naturalness
the quality or state of being simple and sincere
the small-town boy's guilelessness is endearing, but it may not serve him well in the ruthless big city
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Recent Examples of guilelessness
On a humid evening in May, Patricia Lockwood, who writes with the impish verve and provocative guilelessness of a peeing cupid, was scanning the menu at a Mexican restaurant near her home, in Savannah, Georgia.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guilelessness
Noun
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An accurate line design directly affects the naturalness of the hair transplant results.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
IndyStar,
6 Oct. 2025
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But the movie is a sweet star showcase that belongs unequivocally to the incandescent Maura, whose earthy naturalness, sly humor and tenacious spirit feed a direct link back to her Almodóvarian glory days.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Linda Kenney Baden, a legal analyst and defense attorney whose past clients have included Aaron Hernandez, Phil Spector and Casey Anthony, said Robinson's defense may be more focused on avoiding the death penalty than proving his innocence.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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Billups maintains his innocence.—
Danny Funt,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The absurdity of the image—and the simplicity of the complaint—also sparked a flood of lighthearted responses.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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McMillan chose to focus on pets, building his method around simplicity.—
Jane Stern,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What skills — care, competence, sincerity, and reliability — are needed to strengthen the trust in these relationships?—
Colin Bedell,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
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Grow your visibility by sharing with sincerity.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Gilbert’s colloquial style, once a source of great pleasure, has tipped into new territory—an ingenuousness that blends guru and disciple, mother and child.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guilelessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guilelessness. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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