gullibility

Definition of gullibilitynext
as in naïveté
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence teased her about her well-known gullibility by repeatedly offering to sell her the Brooklyn Bridge

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 gullibility Members must accommodate themselves to its fictions, with varying mixtures of gullibility and cynicism; followers shown proof that the leader has lied may admire him all the more for his tactical cleverness. David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Mason highlights – with levity and humor – how erroneous ideas, gullibility, and blinders can lead even people who should know better down rabbit holes. Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026 With no way to secure this crucial boundary, Microsoft and its peers are left to erect complicated and ad hoc guardrails designed to rein in the consequences of this incurable gullibility. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026 Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public. Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 These forces—economic uncertainty, political division, and toxic algorithms—work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness… that kindness is gullibility… that sincerity is for suckers. Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026 The Enlightenment faith in reason, science, and free speech, already weakened by the First World War, had been devastated by an unprecedented bureaucracy of mass death, sustained by technology, systematic deceit, widespread gullibility, and eager acquiescence. Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025 That’s the gullibility these movies tap into — our desire, underneath it all, to believe the impossible. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025 And in a world where time is money, conditions are ripe for a perfect storm of greed, deceit, and willful gullibility—all in the hope of getting ahead faster than the rest. Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gullibility
Noun
  • The earlier series has increasingly strained credulity by having its romance plots hinge on inequalities of gender and class, but seldom of race.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The idea that these two would have a five-minute-or-less breakup conversation, then plop down on the couch and happily embark on an acid trip together, strains credulity a little, even for this bizarre, codependent friend group.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • De facto general manager Duke Tobin defended his belief in them after the draft.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Glover credits his professional successes to this system, and his experiences over a decade at NASA have reinforced his belief in that kind of educational approach.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Her credulousness has actually served Fox as a legal defense, since a person has to know a statement was false or show reckless disregard for the truth in order to be held liable for defamation.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The key is simplicity and predictability, giving producers confidence that American locations can compete with foreign alternatives.
    Sam Roseme, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Complexity can disguise poor thinking, while simplicity can expose it.
    Ricardo Bellino, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • This work will ultimately support fundraising efforts, donor retention, corporate partnerships, volunteer recruitment, credibility and more for long-term success.
    Catherine LaCour, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The validator set now spans distinct institutional categories, each bringing a different kind of credibility to the network.
    Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression.
    Tara Larson, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gullibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gullibility. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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