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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
-
The series’ earnestly naïve sound design (horses neighing, cars revving) only enhanced my appreciation of Joudrey’s sophisticated storytelling.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But anyone who thinks that’s what CTU’s deal is about is hopelessly naive.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The 41-year-old virgin 💌 Amanda McCracken dated throughout her 20s and 30s, with her share of situationships, one-off dates and flings.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
At the time, her storyline included opening up to then-lead Farmer Chris about being a virgin.—
Sarah Hearon,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
She was last seen driving a green Dodge van, police said.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Donnyland plan had some effort behind it, with a Ukrainian negotiator reportedly going so far as to design a green-and-gold flag for the entity and creating its own national anthem with ChatGPT.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
How much more dangerous could a regime become than one willing to murder innocents, during peacetime, 8,500 miles away?—
Katherine Ellison,
Washington Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 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
-
Lebanon truce threatened ahead of talks Multiple attacks undermined a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon ahead of negotiations between the two countries in Washington today.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Acquired by the fledgling CBS Radio Network in 1931, WBBM was integral to the development of a national news platform that predated and survived the advent of television.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
21 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
-
Most of its 40-second runtime is taken up by Emma Corrin as the rebellious ingenue Elizabeth Bennet sitting on a rooftop in a sensible day dress, staring wistfully toward the horizon.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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