1
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
photographs that capture the ingenuous smiles of young children at play
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2
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
the story of an ingenuous newcomer to the big city who outwits the slickers at their own game
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Recent Examples of ingenuous
Diller soon struck a deal with Rupert Murdoch—then posing as an ingenuous newcomer to America—to buy Fox and merge it with Metromedia, a group of television stations owned by John Kluge.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s something soft about the play, a little ingenuous and underbrewed.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Jennifer Johnson Cano’s mezzo-soprano was smoothly plangent as Emilia; the tenor Pene Pati was a sweetly ingenuous Cassio.
—New York Times, 22 May 2022
Heathcliff, of course, is the prime example, growing from an ingenuous child into a glowering adult who spins all the considerable evil ever done to him — much of it based on race and class — into justification for his long game of retribution.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
His greatest hope for the future, Meghan is a high school senior at a horsy boarding school in the Washington area and possibly the most ingenuous girl since Alice in Wonderland.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
Colman has become a go-to actor for masking pained personal histories behind either brittle snappishness or bluff affability; Reid’s ingenuous, old-soul charm is a winning foil for that defensive quality.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 July 2022
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s something soft about the play, a little ingenuous and underbrewed.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Jennifer Johnson Cano’s mezzo-soprano was smoothly plangent as Emilia; the tenor Pene Pati was a sweetly ingenuous Cassio.
—New York Times, 22 May 2022
Heathcliff, of course, is the prime example, growing from an ingenuous child into a glowering adult who spins all the considerable evil ever done to him — much of it based on race and class — into justification for his long game of retribution.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
His greatest hope for the future, Meghan is a high school senior at a horsy boarding school in the Washington area and possibly the most ingenuous girl since Alice in Wonderland.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
Colman has become a go-to actor for masking pained personal histories behind either brittle snappishness or bluff affability; Reid’s ingenuous, old-soul charm is a winning foil for that defensive quality.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
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Today's audiences—both Hispanic and non-Hispanic—are savvy, diverse, and crave genuine representation and storytelling.—
Isaac Mizrahi,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Coach Wall was a remarkable individual whose kindness and genuine spirit touched all who knew him.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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And if anyone was naive enough to imagine the U.S.-led tournament in 2026 would be free of such political baggage, then surely the increasingly public proximity of the Trump-Infantino relationship has dispelled those illusions.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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Biography Ellmann-style was left looking hopelessly naive in its effort to understand the work by understanding its writer’s life.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Both WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines said their operations were unaffected by the hacks.—
Sean Lyngaas,
CNN Money,
28 June 2025
-
Russian Security Council deputy chairman of Dmitry Medvedev also said Iran's critical nuclear infrastructure appeared to be unaffected or to have sustained only minor damage.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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On July 8, U.S. soldiers escorting a train fired at crowds in Hammond, killing an innocent bystander.—
Robert Loerzel,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
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However, Vance’s spokesperson said the mix-up was an innocent mistake.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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What is your secret to remaining an innovator in your field? To be honest, I get inspired.—
Nigel Smith,
People.com,
23 June 2025
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My advice is to conduct an honest assessment of your team's capabilities relative to migration requirements.—
AJ Bubb,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The simplest ideas in mathematics can also be the most perplexing.—
Leila Sloman,
Wired News,
29 June 2025
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Start your day like a pro with simple morning cleaning habits that keep your home feeling fresh, organized, and under control.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Ever-so true to Telfar’s roots: community-driven, unpredictable, and built on radical accessibility.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
20 June 2025
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This milieu is both true to history and solves one of the series’ longstanding structural flaws.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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His career hamstrung by bipolar disorder and stints in psychiatric hospitals, Johnston first found acclaim as an unguarded and guileless songwriter in the late ’80s with tunes that cut instantly to the emotional quick.—
Grayson Haver Currin Eli Durst,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Yet in Allerton’s presence, Lee becomes a charmer who seems as guileless as a stammering schoolboy.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
13 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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