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
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
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
-
Trump has not been shy in his belief that tariffs are a necessary cornerstone of his domestic agenda — and coupled with the shaky GDP numbers, the ruling made for a tough day for him.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
But the belief is that candidates will begin dropping out of the primary in time to settle on one or more Democrats who can appear on the November ballot.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
California’s Napa Valley is prized for its vineyard views and quiet country roads, which create a relaxed atmosphere that blends rural simplicity with polished sophistication.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Ohtani shortened the name to Decoy for simplicity.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
By including co-chairs from both parties and requiring a bipartisan majority for approval, a commission could lend more credibility to essential reforms, the report argued.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
As the Cubs welcomed players from Nippon Professional Baseball — and managed relationships with their families, agents and support staff — Masamoto’s background provided some credibility and reassurance.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 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 26 Feb. 2026.
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