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
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
Moore, who sings big Verdi roles, isn’t easy to imagine as the ingenuous geisha (who’s supposed to be only 15 years old).
—Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2022
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
Moore, who sings big Verdi roles, isn’t easy to imagine as the ingenuous geisha (who’s supposed to be only 15 years old).
—Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
-
Section meetings are open to members, guests and anyone with a genuine interest in UFOs/UAPs.—
Deb Harvell,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2025
-
For all the offseason acquisitions meant to bolster the rotation, starting pitching has become a genuine concern for Los Angeles.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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Don’t be naive and offer $500 for a premium domain name.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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But that naive, first-generation Polish-American girl soon became a force to be reckoned with.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
For example, many could be reassigned to jobs in city departments that are unaffected by the budget crisis.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
-
However, even as many industries experience a general decline, there were five remote roles pointed out by FlexJobs that appear to be unaffected by the downward trend, and were in the highest demand in Q1 2025.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These rapid deportations mean some innocent people are being denied the chance to clear their name in a U.S. courtroom.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Seeing innocent people arrested for exercising their civil rights, sparked his desire to pursue a career in law.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
Log in Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.—
Taylor Luck,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
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There has been no new-manager bounce, but instead a series of very honest press conferences about how long the United rebuild could take.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Style them with a simple tank for a casual day out, or add a blazer and ballet flats for a more polished airport look.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2025
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While rectal cancers can be detected with a simple MRI scan, other cancer types are more difficult.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Brands can now measure interactions that happen across different channels and touchpoints, such as call center conversions or in-store actions—creating a true omnichannel view.—
Heidi Bullock,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
The Johnny King Buck In 2006, Wisconsin deer hunter Johnny King shot what some folks believe is the true world-record typical whitetail.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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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
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Mickey 17 is as guileless as Candide, while his successor is more aggressive and shifty-eyed.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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