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
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
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
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
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The former spouses co-parent an ingenuous teen, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall).
—Judy Berman, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
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Still, the enthusiasm from the stage felt genuine, as did their love for Minneapolis.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
23 Mar. 2026
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That combination — genuine suffering refracted through dark humor, hardship worn lightly — is exactly what American audiences are finding so alluring in Korean stories right now.—
Dan Bilefsky,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Wuthering Heights, Oliver played Isabella Linton, an initially naïve woman infatuated with ideas of romance whose are opened to the reality around her.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The opera is about Don José, a naive young man who leaves his small town to join the Spanish army.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The electronic poll books were unaffected by the flood and didn’t need to be replaced.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Such data could yield a more precise way to measure lightning power unaffected by obscuring clouds.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Chicagoans are ducking for cover as delivery robots turn into heat-seeking missiles for innocent glass structures.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Deputies said the deadly shooting appeared to be gang-related, but believe Randolph was an innocent victim.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s nothing funnier than being honest.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Ready to be honest about what lights you up?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In Catanzaro Lido, a beach town along the Ionian coast, meals tend to be simple and communal.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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In her first interview since becoming head of content at Disney+ EMEA, Angela Jain has said the message to writers and producers is simple, the streamer is going to greenlight more originals from the region and will be backing that effort with extra funds for local fare.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Courts often look to rulings in other jurisdictions to guide decisions, even if those precedents aren’t binding, according to Reyes, who said this is especially true in new legal fields like climate litigation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
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Schaeffer won over most of the Rockies players quickly, but, fielding a young, inexperienced team, Colorado limped toward the finish line, going 4-21 in September.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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