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Synonym Chooser

How is the word naive different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of naive are artless, ingenuous, natural, and unsophisticated. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.

politically naive

When can artless be used instead of naive?

The meanings of artless and naive largely overlap; however, artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others.

artless charm

When is it sensible to use ingenuous instead of naive?

Although the words ingenuous and naive have much in common, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.

the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

When would natural be a good substitute for naive?

The synonyms natural and naive are sometimes interchangeable, but natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.

her unaffected, natural manner

In what contexts can unsophisticated take the place of naive?

While in some cases nearly identical to naive, unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness.

unsophisticated adolescents

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 naive The Guerida line nodding to private estate La Querida and its white façades, emerald green lawns and ocean views offered a more naïve take on the colored theme by mean of hearts and floral motifs juxtaposed in a ring, bracelet and pendant earrings. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 Even when their views are naive or ill-considered, protesters are among the minority of people willing to take risks and devote time and energy to the pursuit of a better world. Christopher L. Eisgruber, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 Mint follows Shannon, the naïve daughter of the area’s dominant crime family, desperately searching for love in the shadow of her gangster father, Dylan (Sam Riley). Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025 But Robbie, ever the scrappy guy, already sees through the naïve guise and holds the FBI Task Force agent at gun point. Grace Byron, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive
Adjective
  • The innocent landowners outlined in the bills are defined as those who have pollution on their property due to no fault of their own.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Ken Woroner—Netflix In Shelley's book, the Creature either directly murders or is responsible for the deaths of several innocent people as part as his quest for vengeance against Victor.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Investors and regulators should adopt transparent, comparable metrics so capital rewards genuine impact, not greenwash.
    Olivier Wenden, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
  • There has never been a genuine internal reckoning with Palestinian political failures.
    Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Old-school phishing emails were easy to spot because of typos and bad grammar.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
  • While allowed, breaking away from it would not be easy for Pennsylvania—or any other state which is currently served by it.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The inexperienced head coach has sensibly made only minor tweaks since taking over, sticking with the compact, direct football that has served Brentford so well.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Scaloni, whose team finished in first place in South American World Cup qualifying, was using Friday’s match, and the Tuesday match against Puerto Rico at Chase Stadium, to integrate some of the younger and inexperienced players on the roster.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Let’s be honest—doing things alone can feel awkward at first.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
  • To be honest, the whole setup sounds exhausting.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Icardi describes her former boss as kind, professional and trusting.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Cats are far less trusting than dogs and rarely fall for the pill-in-the-treat ploy.
    Joan Morris, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Monochromatic Raven loves to stick to a simple, serene palette by combining a variety of white tulips with different bloom times.
    Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
  • This Madewell version channels that effortless, neutral polish Kitts described—simple, structured, and endlessly versatile.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The same is true of modern warfare.
    Big Think, Big Think, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Mathis has been a terror for opposing quarterbacks alongside teammate and fellow true freshman Sidney Stewart.
    The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naive. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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