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
-
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
-
And while the play might have happened on defense, there is a belief the sense of pride and confidence that came with it could extend to all parts of his game.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Her propulsive new book, Driven, traces a life shaped by that belief—from racing her brother on a 50cc bike in Oban, Scotland, at six, to entering the Kart World Championship at 14 as the only girl in the paddock.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Something about the simplicity of that, coupled with the canyon’s display of deep time, reminded me how small and temporary my own existence was, and therefore how precious.—
Rosecrans Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Some approaches to astrophotography emphasize simplicity and portability, while others reward patience and precision.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When fairness is questioned, the credibility of the entire system is at state.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
What is clear is that Disney is treating Tink as a significant addition to its Disney+ slate, with a creative team that carries substantial industry credibility.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 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 15 Mar. 2026.
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