naively

variants or naïvely
Definition of naivelynext

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 naively And beyond a few ad hoc fire safety laws that were scarcely enforced, cities’ building codes and water infrastructure naively lagged far behind the threat cities were creating. Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 Educators are no longer naively wondering if students will use generative AI to do their homework for them. Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026 Trump has seen previous presidents either kick the can down the road or naively believe that the current Iranian regime could be trusted. Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026 Putting this season aside, the job of coaching one of Scotland’s big two could be naively regarded as a cakewalk. The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026 The barely disguised soullessness with which AI leaders operate, perhaps, has provided a window for entrepreneurs to peddle a more humane message, in good faith or not in good faith, naively or cynically. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026 To believe otherwise is to divert one’s gaze, naively, hoping others will manage the problem, keeping it from your doorstep — in defiance of the medicine and simple math. Eric Snoey, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025 When the frame shifts up and over the reservoir’s edge, Copco 1 appears as a concrete colossus, standing sentry over the river naively burbling below. Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025 But owner Danny Meyer wants to remind you about its days as a scrappy ingénue, naïvely determined to show this gritty city a thing or two about democratic dining. Christine Muhlke, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naively
Adverb
  • In a video message, Drake spoke sincerely about how much Furtado had inspired him.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026
  • But it’s played sincerely, so the visual contrast just makes the connection feel clumsy, if not outright absurd.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • This suggests the sounds green noise mimics may genuinely help the body shift toward relaxation.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
  • To strike that balance, the characters had to be funny and a little odd but also warm and genuinely fond of one another, enough that the hero would think, This is worth preserving.
    Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Its sustained support for armed proxy groups in the region — organizations that openly seek Israel’s destruction — demonstrates that this is not merely rhetorical.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Democratic Party leaders are openly worried, though, that the two Republicans — Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco — could finish 1-2, thereby ensuring the election of a GOP governor.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Naively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naively. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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