variants
also naivete
or naiveté
1
as in innocence
the quality or state of being simple and sincere
her naïveté led her to leave her new car unlocked while she shopped at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gullibility
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence
though he was streetwise, the investigative reporter regularly assumed an air of naïveté when he was interviewing confidence men, charlatans, counterfeiters, and other assorted swindlers of the general public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 naïveté
The secret is that Spike’s know-nothing naivete encourages us to see the world through the eyes of someone who’s new to every part of it.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025
Is there intimidation, naivete, fear of being alone?
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
On the contrary, the narrative voice mixes naivete and disbelief.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
One character starts with hope and naivete, and the other with the wisdom that comes from tough, life-altering experiences.
—Nick Jonas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus begins an addictive of melding personal infatuation with messy dynamics, as spirits of domination and naivete co-mingle.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music.
—Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025
Our heroes’ naivete is catching, apparently.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
The fund’s appreciation of over 600% YTD raises concerns about flawed perceptions of SpaceX ownership and naivete regarding the premium to NAV.
—Joel Shulman, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025
Is there intimidation, naivete, fear of being alone?
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
On the contrary, the narrative voice mixes naivete and disbelief.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
One character starts with hope and naivete, and the other with the wisdom that comes from tough, life-altering experiences.
—Nick Jonas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus begins an addictive of melding personal infatuation with messy dynamics, as spirits of domination and naivete co-mingle.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music.
—Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025
Our heroes’ naivete is catching, apparently.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
The fund’s appreciation of over 600% YTD raises concerns about flawed perceptions of SpaceX ownership and naivete regarding the premium to NAV.
—Joel Shulman, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
-
Many of those charged protest their innocence vehemently, but since anti-doping agencies apply strict liability principles and apportion responsibility irrespective of intent, the consequences hit hard.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
Foxx’s office later withdrew opposition to their certificates of innocence, enabling their lawyers to use these certificates as evidence in lawsuits against the police.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Young consumers receptive to silk lingerie and sleepwear still demand machine-wash convenience and price sensitivity, while design styles must balance traditional aesthetics with modern tastes—blending simplicity, comfort and a sense of technology.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
24 June 2025
-
In fact, many found AI content to be more personable and enjoyable, possibly due to its simplicity and accessibility.—
Katie Jewett,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
In journalism, visibility and virality are not the standard—credibility is.—
Ime Ekpo,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
But credibility isn’t the goal: Entertainment is the goal, at least for ESPN.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
In a system built on civilian oversight of military and diplomatic power, ignorance becomes a liability.—
Nuri Kino,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
-
But while the veteran Pole lured out of retirement is expected to be offered an extension of his one-year contract which expires on June 30, Barça will reportedly try and force captain Ter Stegen out of the club amid the German’s claims of ignorance on the matter.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Despite a rocky use of the miscommunication trope the stretches credulity slightly, the novel celebrates love stories and the possibility of magic made real.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The plot beats that follow Dante’s death strain credulity past its breaking point, and the fun quickly wears thin.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
Noun
-
Posey, for all his naivety in his new role, is at least empowered by ownership.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
-
The Algeria international’s best performances for Wolves have come almost exclusively from a wing-back position outside three central defenders, where his explosive and unpredictable attacking strengths can shine and his defensive naivety and positional weaknesses can be hidden to a greater extent.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Such ambition and optimism were pervasive across BIO.—
Nish Acharya,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
The financial services firm's latest Business Leaders Outlook Survey, released Wednesday, found that optimism for the economy fell to 32 percent in June from 65 percent in January.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share