variants also naivete or naiveté
Definition of naïveténext
1
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 Demie sees her storyline as one of naivete. Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2026 God protect me from my own lack of understanding and naivete. Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 May 2026 On their first two trips to the property, the enormity of the task at hand—and their utter naiveté in taking it on—sank in. Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 22 May 2026 But that optimism now veers into naivete. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for naïveté
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
  • Car wrecks in which people are injured are frequent and many are not criminal matters, defense attorney Gill said in his closing argument in the guilt-innocence trial phase.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The role of the judge at this stage is not to determine guilt or innocence, but to ensure the law is followed and constitutional protections are honored.
    Corey B. Friedman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Members must accommodate themselves to its fictions, with varying mixtures of gullibility and cynicism; followers shown proof that the leader has lied may admire him all the more for his tactical cleverness.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Mason highlights – with levity and humor – how erroneous ideas, gullibility, and blinders can lead even people who should know better down rabbit holes.
    Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • Listing just seven items on the menu, Sehzade Cag Kebap impresses with simplicity, outstanding flavors, and efficient service.
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The trending eye shadow aesthetics have evolved since then, and simplicity is reigning in its place.
    Elle Turner, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Your credibility grows when your message is clear, useful, and calm enough to move the work forward.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But the film is most compelling throughout as a straightforward domestic drama, with increasingly fraught family dynamics lending proceedings a baseline of credibility even as whatever’s happening outside the house remains largely inscrutable.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The age of the activists has drawn comments, even from government officials, that youth equates to naivety and ignorance.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In the first season, he was met with resistance on all fronts to his unorthodox methods of coaching, his ignorance of the sport, his sheer Americanness.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Because these stories have to dramatize a search for normalcy, its leads tend to be awkward in ways that strain credulity.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • Cape Fear strains credulity a little by making Natalie too easy a mark.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • The age of the activists has drawn comments, even from government officials, that youth equates to naivety and ignorance.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In 2009, five members of Young The Giant named their band in honor of their own youth, naivety and potential overconfidence.
    Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster