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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or naif
as in virgin
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of naïf
Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Most illustrators play up the coziness of the tale, what with children all snug in their beds dreaming of sugarplums and suchlike, but the friendly lines and marzipan colors of Ms. Beech’s naif illustrations take coziness to a new level.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Noun
Glusman is perfectly fine, but the writing leaves this figure too much of a naif to seem threatening or to be credible when Elliot somehow circumvents Sophie’s protective barriers.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf
Adjective
-
There is still an almost naïve charm to how Aras speaks about hockey, his new obsession.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Felix is not naïve about this process.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the time, her storyline included opening up to then-lead Farmer Chris about being a virgin.—
Sarah Hearon,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, Smart Linen is just 10 to 20 percent more expensive compared to virgin fibers when the price of virgin is at a low level.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The celebrated restaurant in the Roma Norte neighborhood is most famous for its whole red snapper painted in vibrant swaths of red chile and green parsley sauces, but the menu is filled with must-try seafood (like the impeccable tuna tostadas).—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The event sees a weekly gathering of volunteers who analyze monthly field data on green sea turtles seen in the San Gabriel River.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and much of the Iranian security hierarchy, would not survive the first day of bombing; neither would about a hundred and seventy-five innocents in the southern city of Minab, most of them children.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
-
As Archangel Michael, Devyn Wade is both boyishly sweet and terrified as a devil’s advocate, cautiously questioning God’s decisions and her history of killing the innocent.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Almost every hunt includes something the inexperienced would count a close call.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In 2025, McLaren driver Lando Norris had a season that started very similar to Russell’s 2026, with a Melbourne victory in the class-leading car, only to be quickly overhauled by a more inexperienced teammate.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown suffered injuries that sidelined them in Pittsburgh, forcing greenhorns Ryan Vandemark and Alec Anderson into service against T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Finally, and very importantly for the greenhorns among us: What’s your tip for getting rid of soreness after a ride?—
Samantha Dunn,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Nimrods is a coming-of-age film centering on three high school friends who set out on a wild road trip under the mistaken assumption that their fledgling band has been booked to open for Green Day on New Year’s Eve.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The once highly regarded and pricey hub for tech dreamers and fledgling startups has devolved from a breeding ground for ingenuity and innovation — a place of hope — to something closer to an American nightmare.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At one point, the Phantom and Christine, the ingenue and the object of his obsession, glide toward you in a gondola, crossing an underground lake.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
-
At age 31, she has been cast as an ingenue for 10 years, an archetype of a woman exploring innocence and experience that matches her exterior.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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