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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf
Adjective
-
But anyone imagining that this problem will be resolved by taking games beyond international borders is extremely naive.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025 -
In contrast, the late-’90s and early-2000s pop culture era—glittery, naive, and commercially loud—feels like an antidote to endless doom-scrolling.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, the distillery selected two five-year-old virgin oak casks of whisky to send to Antarctica for further maturation.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
24 Oct. 2025
-
With this repurposed, recycled down and feathers from post-use bedding and outerwear, the EverPuff provides the same lofty warmth as virgin down—at 700 fill power—while giving existing materials a second life and reducing environmental impact.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Oxygen produces green or red depending on the altitude, and nitrogen either blue or purple.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The pairs are connected through their use of gray, matching color blocking and neon green accents on their branding and midsoles.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
His only companion is his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), a young innocent who just wants to help Teddy, who serves as a Greek chorus/audience surrogate (and a representative of Lanthimos’ interest in childlike adults).—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Neither Sadat nor Begin were innocents or doves.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Senior defensive tackle Braxton Fely’s radar is already up at the chance of facing another inexperienced QB.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In doing so, Sonny mentors a talented but inexperienced rookie named Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) and brings an unconventional style of racing to the track.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The indestructible Gill, still strolling the fairways of the magazine, was more than welcoming to a greenhorn.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
-
The business is, and has always been, a dodgy boondoggle; not for nothing were the old-money WASPs at the East Coast banks reticent to put capital behind fledgling Hollywood.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The third edition of Riyadh Fashion Week marked a step change for the fledgling showcase, attracting international labels, retailers and editors to transporting, open-air runway venues and showcasing the appeal of its homegrown modest fashions — and spectacular special-occasion wear.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Yeah, there’s a certain…I’m not playing the ingenue anymore.—
Kyle McGovern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Only ingenues believe the fund might avoid capture by the incumbent president to advance a partisan political agenda.—
Armstrong Williams,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share