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
In an animal print and with generous straps across the instep, the result feels much more like grown-up sophistication than any naivete.
—
Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Her debut, Leaving Atlanta, narrates the Atlanta child murders committed between 1979 and 1981—when Jones herself was growing up there—through the eyes of child protagonists whose mix of knowing and naivete would be at home in the work of Henry James.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Costume designer Freddy Wittop gave Lee a special hat for Minnie Fay, one that symbolized the character’s endless curiosity and naiveté, with a feather in the shape of a giant question mark.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Students brought the enthusiasm, but their naivete showed in planning and preparation.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Her hollow eyes and unflinching face lend Ju-Ju a gut-wrenching passivity and naivete.
—Blake Simons, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
Instead, Lifton chalked up the invocation of critical materials in Venezuela to political naivete.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
Tutty is an absolute star in the role, displaying boisterous enthusiasm as well as a tender naivete that hints at the inevitable act two disappointment to come.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Nov. 2025
There is power in unspoken knowledge, Schilinski suggests, and the performance of innocence and naiveté, for a young girl, can be an instrument of subversion.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Her debut, Leaving Atlanta, narrates the Atlanta child murders committed between 1979 and 1981—when Jones herself was growing up there—through the eyes of child protagonists whose mix of knowing and naivete would be at home in the work of Henry James.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Costume designer Freddy Wittop gave Lee a special hat for Minnie Fay, one that symbolized the character’s endless curiosity and naiveté, with a feather in the shape of a giant question mark.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Students brought the enthusiasm, but their naivete showed in planning and preparation.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Her hollow eyes and unflinching face lend Ju-Ju a gut-wrenching passivity and naivete.
—Blake Simons, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
Instead, Lifton chalked up the invocation of critical materials in Venezuela to political naivete.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
Tutty is an absolute star in the role, displaying boisterous enthusiasm as well as a tender naivete that hints at the inevitable act two disappointment to come.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Nov. 2025
There is power in unspoken knowledge, Schilinski suggests, and the performance of innocence and naiveté, for a young girl, can be an instrument of subversion.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
-
Here is your certificate of innocence’?—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Under California law, prisoners seeking parole may not be penalized for failing to admit wrongdoing, so Kovacich’s claim of innocence was not used against him, Tellman said.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These forces—economic uncertainty, political division, and toxic algorithms—work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness… that kindness is gullibility… that sincerity is for suckers.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Enlightenment faith in reason, science, and free speech, already weakened by the First World War, had been devastated by an unprecedented bureaucracy of mass death, sustained by technology, systematic deceit, widespread gullibility, and eager acquiescence.—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Fishy Fishy, a longtime staple, stays faithful to what’s just come off the boat, while Catch of the Day turns a waterfront food truck into a lesson in simplicity done right.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Choice Home Warranty focuses on simplicity with two plans and is a more budget-friendly option for essential coverage.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Goldman noted that its unemployment projections align closely with simulations run through the Federal Reserve’s own FRB/US model, lending additional credibility to the estimates.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
To ensure the fairness and credibility of our readers’ poll, any votes originating from the same IP address that exceed 20 submissions will be excluded from the final tally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Disagreeing with presidential actions is one thing, but opining on the psychology behind his decisions shows ignorance.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Many fear losing their jobs, sometimes through ignorance rather than data.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The idea that a mere oversight caused Justice Department officials to omit the Trump documents from the public database strains credulity.—
Barbara McQuade,
Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The answer to all of these questions is, of course, that the movie’s way is creepier, even as its setup sometimes strains credulity.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Whatever your opinion, Theroux has an impressive back catalogue of documentaries worth watching, each one tackling a thorny topic with his signature faux naivety and awkward charm.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Stratton called for an immediate increase to $25 an hour — a position her opponents, who supported a gradual increase to $17 per hour, said reflected naivety and a lack of Washington experience.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Gilbert’s colloquial style, once a source of great pleasure, has tipped into new territory—an ingenuousness that blends guru and disciple, mother and child.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
