variants
or naif
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
the senator, newly elected and still naïf, will learn soon enough how Washington really works
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or naif
as in virgin
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of naïf
Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Most illustrators play up the coziness of the tale, what with children all snug in their beds dreaming of sugarplums and suchlike, but the friendly lines and marzipan colors of Ms. Beech’s naif illustrations take coziness to a new level.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Noun
Glusman is perfectly fine, but the writing leaves this figure too much of a naif to seem threatening or to be credible when Elliot somehow circumvents Sophie’s protective barriers.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf
Adjective
-
Levine sounds almost naive about the depth of this love.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Why portray Dorothy as a doe-eyed ding-a-ling; as not just naive but dumb?—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The film, directed by renowned German New Wave artist and filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger, is the latest retelling of the story of Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory, a real-life aristocrat accused of bathing in the blood of virgins to retain her youth.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Jan. 2026
-
San Francisco’s John Lynch — an all-timer of a safety with Tampa Bay — was a front office virgin before taking that general manager gig in 2017.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Access to quality green spaces like this is essential for the health and well-being of our community.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Bathrooms, water fountains and green grass perfect for picnics or playing sports — those are the exact features that are completely missing from some San Joaquin County parks.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a key scene, the innocents jump back and forth between dinner parties playing out at the same time despite taking place on successive nights.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The J6ers were not insurrectionists, traitors, and miscreants but patriots, heroes, and innocents.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Ten of the top 15 quarterbacks in the portal have already committed, and after that top tier, many of the remaining quarterbacks available are either young, inexperienced passers from Power 4 programs or starters from Group of 5 or FCS schools.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
According to the University of Massachusetts Global, teacher turnover results in a large number of inexperienced teachers being placed in classrooms, meaning more money is put toward recruiting, hiring and training.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Finally, and very importantly for the greenhorns among us: What’s your tip for getting rid of soreness after a ride?—
Samantha Dunn,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Flecks of mica and pyrite and who knows what, but only fools and greenhorns mistake it for gold.—
John Archibald,
Southern Living,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
The dynamic seemed a combination of engagement, respect and deference in the fledgling relationships.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
12 Jan. 2026
-
After helping Walt build Disneyland, Fowler stuck around to manage the fledgling park for the first 10 years of its existence.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Seen on the likes of Pamela Anderson, Ariana Grande, and most recently, Vera Wang, the micro bang was first popularized in the 1950s by film ingenues like Audrey Hepburn.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Yeah, there’s a certain…I’m not playing the ingenue anymore.—
Kyle McGovern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
