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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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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Recent Examples of ingenuous
Talk of a solution—of two states, of a confederation, of nearly any prospect for a secure and free mode of coexistence—has long been dismissed as either an ingenuous assertion of faith or a cynical pantomime, an empty gesture toward a future no one expects to see.
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 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
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
David Remnick, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
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The new telescope represents a genuine leap toward accessible professional astronomy, stripping away the technical barriers.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The strength of the Premier League has never been more evident, with each side posing a genuine threat to take points off each other.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Set a century before the events of Game of Thrones and 72 years after House of the Dragon, A Knight of Seven Kingdom follows two unlikely heroes wandering Westeros … a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), and his diminutive squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Irish actor, 29, leads A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new Game of Thrones spinoff series based on a series of novellas by Martin, 77, that follows naïve knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The company said operations remain unaffected despite early concerns over building damage.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Our measurement data shows that routing announcements were largely unaffected.—
Alberto Dainotti,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
So write to the White House and tell them to start working for the American people, rather than writing letters to the newspaper labeling a deceased innocent woman a rioter.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
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Just over two weeks later, an innocent woman in a BMW sedan was killed after her car was hit by a theft suspect fleeing Fullerton police in La Palma.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hopeful storytelling — still complex, still honest — but rooted in empathy.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
If a relative asks for a favor, name your bandwidth and offer an honest timeline.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In such a world, simple answers won’t do; only the courage to ask the hardest questions will push us forward.—
Daphne Koller,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Knox, who committed to wrestle at Rutgers University, and his dad were initially charged with simple assault for purposely/knowingly causing bodily injury after a brawl broke out at Collingswood High School on February.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Such should be true for tomorrow as well.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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The app will bring to the fore true voices endorsed by the fanbases.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Local officials have grown increasingly wary of unprepared and inexperienced hikers setting out on some of the toughest peaks during perilous conditions.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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Ryan, in his first season as the Trojans’ linebackers coach, was dealt a tough hand of mostly young, inexperienced players.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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