1
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
photographs that capture the ingenuous smiles of young children at play
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ingenuous
Modern Love used a photo of David Bowie in a long dress as his profile picture, and so the ingenuous, myopic Floyd expects a woman.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
Unbeknownst to her parents, the sweetly ingenuous Katie has made friends with the generously candy-dispensing family next door, and is abducted one afternoon in the midst of a sweeping windstorm — a standout setpiece, awash in roiled dust and rising panic.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Ross, meanwhile, exudes suspiciously ingenuous charisma as the heavily accented voice coming out of Meek’s Speak & Spell.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The former spouses co-parent an ingenuous teen, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall).
—Judy Berman, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
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
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
Unbeknownst to her parents, the sweetly ingenuous Katie has made friends with the generously candy-dispensing family next door, and is abducted one afternoon in the midst of a sweeping windstorm — a standout setpiece, awash in roiled dust and rising panic.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Ross, meanwhile, exudes suspiciously ingenuous charisma as the heavily accented voice coming out of Meek’s Speak & Spell.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The former spouses co-parent an ingenuous teen, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall).
—Judy Berman, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
-
With a population of only about 5,000 people − both working class and millionaires alike − the eagles are a frequent local topic, both because of the international attention but also because so many locals are genuine fans.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Locals, even some hardened to the realities of big-time sports, bought into Kiffin’s genuine affection for the people and the place.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Not because older Americans are more naive.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
When it was first released in December 1980, it was seen as too weird for kids and too naive for adults, but it has since been reconsidered as a unique snapshot of intersecting talents — a strange, wonderful, one-of-a-kind movie.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Léa Seydoux gives a very committed, unaffected performance as Lucy, an experimental pianist who must deal with the dawning knowledge that her beloved husband Philip (Laurence Rupp) has a second life online as a pedophile pornographer.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
French authorities had initially ordered over 1,700 passengers and crew on The Ambition cruise ship to remain on board, but then decided late Wednesday to let those unaffected disembark.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
These armed hostilities have maimed, mutilated and killed millions of human beings — many of them innocent civilians.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
Becerra may have been an innocent victim, but $120,000 a year is a lot of money to pay someone to babysit a largely unused stack of cash.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Colicchio is honest enough to walk up to that line and examine it.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The useful answer may be simpler than expected once the real priority becomes obvious.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The decor with sheepskin rugs and arm lamps for reading lights is neither flashy nor overtly quirky, but simple and homey, as if it were designed by a tasteful Scandinavian grandmother who relocated to the wilds of Patagonia.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is true only in the narrowest sense.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
That was certainly true on Monday, as Lamont signed a new 124-page labor bill into law.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Another risk is infection from non-sterile equipment, which might happen if the procedure is done by inexperienced technicians or in non-medical settings, Hazan says.—
Erica Sweeney,
Time,
11 May 2026
-
The other strong selling point is that the inexperienced videographer doesn't have to fiddle with a load of settings before recording.—
David Szondy
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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