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 idea that a mere oversight caused Justice Department officials to omit the Trump documents from the public database strains credulity.—
Barbara McQuade,
Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The answer to all of these questions is, of course, that the movie’s way is creepier, even as its setup sometimes strains credulity.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But, for many American Jews, Zionism has come to represent the belief that there should be such a home—both because of the Jewish people’s ties to their ancestral land and because of the centuries of persecution that Jews endured, culminating with the Holocaust.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
According to Christian belief, Jesus was arrested, tried by Roman authorities and sentenced to death by crucifixion.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Japanese pickling methods, such as nukazuke (fermentation in rice bran), emphasized minimalism and balance, reflecting the cultural values of harmony and simplicity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The beauty of cafe curtains lies in their simplicity.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Still, a trust charter would give it the legal authority, access to banking infrastructure and regulatory credibility to move, hold, and settle money more efficiently — and perhaps set it up to compete more with PayPal or Square.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Bondi’s fumbling of the Epstein files investigation sparked outrage from conservatives and Congress, undermining her credibility.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 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
Cite this Entry
“Gullibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gullibility. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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