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
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Recent Examples of gullibility
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
Ignoring the problem of online gullibility felt irresponsible – even negligent.
—Sam Wineburg, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
As Nathan notes, the excuses players come up with often test a true fan’s gullibility.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
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
Ignoring the problem of online gullibility felt irresponsible – even negligent.
—Sam Wineburg, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
As Nathan notes, the excuses players come up with often test a true fan’s gullibility.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gullibility
Noun
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The TikTok tradeoff is dynamic scanning, selecting, and constructing in return for patience, credulity, and willingness to follow direction.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Bollen’s own professional background is in market research, and, being well versed in the ways in which popular credulity is leveraged, she is also equipped to cast skepticism upon research findings whose standards fall short.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The analysis, which included 55 studies encompassing more than a half-million people, found that those who had a spiritual belief or religious practice were less likely to have a harmful relationship with alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
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Ismailova’s dreamlike narrative vividly conveys an interconnected human-forest assemblage, rooted in local beliefs, intergenerational stewardship, and foraging practices increasingly strained by the climate crisis and global economic pressures.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Liu’s answer was striking in its simplicity.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
-
One of the star dishes of Tex-Mex cuisine that shines for its simplicity but exceeds in flavor.—
Imelda García,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Most noticeably, his 3-point shooting accuracy has risen above 37% in Chicago, a crucial improvement to establish his credibility as a true backcourt threat.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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An effort to undermine the credibility of the chief executive officer of the University of Connecticut Health Center was timed to go public before the celebratory kickoff Wednesday of Waterbury Hospital’s renewal as part of an evolving new hospital system led by UConn Health.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
14 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gullibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gullibility. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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