NAIVENESS Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

naiveness

noun

Definition of naiveness

as in naïveté

readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence I can't believe the naiveness of people who don't realize there's always some catch to so-called free offers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in naturalness

the quality or state of being simple and sincere the innate naiveness of young children is one of their most endearing qualities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiveness

Noun

Both films expose the massive gullibility and brazenness in every rung of American society.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Beyond the mystery at the novel’s core, Candlish examines themes of #MeToo harassment, truth versus fiction in social media trends, boomerang kids, and the fine line between gullibility and trust.

— The Know, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of gullibility

Noun

Beauty, grace, freshness, naturalness, youth—all qualities which women have so often been reduced to.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
The young actors are appealing, led by Lilah Pate and Chabley Ponce; there’s a sweetness and naturalness to their cameraderie that stands out amid so much mugging and gives the film a lift.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of naturalness

Noun

One can treat it as an indelible feature of human psychology, an unavoidable by-product of our appetite for simplicity and affiliation.

— Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
Despite the beery bonhomie and singalong-friendly simplicity of their tunes, the Twisted Teens are grappling with an increasingly complex tangle of contradictions and tensions.

— Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of simplicity

Noun

Davis, who was acquitted at his four-month capital murder trial and professed his innocence ever since, died Friday at his home in Colleyville, a stepson, Trey Davis, said on Sunday.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2026
According to the nonpartisan Death Penalty Information Center, at least 203 people on death row across 30 states have been exonerated based on evidence of innocence since 1973.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of innocence

Noun

What’s worse is the scene that follows, revealing the clean-up of multiple bodies and an elaborate rewriting of the narrative that strains credulity to put it mildly, not to mention shortchanging the Mexican characters.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
The earlier series has increasingly strained credulity by having its romance plots hinge on inequalities of gender and class, but seldom of race.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of credulity

Noun

But when the lines between sincerity and cynicism are so blurred, does intention even matter?

— Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
The first half of the film is on the dull side, featuring lots of footage of Fielder and Holmes staring at each other, unblinking, in an attempt to convince each other of their sincerity.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

A certain ingenuousness, an earnest impatience with the world’s many injustices, is a hallmark of Barbara Kingsolver’s novels.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of ingenuousness

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.

Browse Nearby Words

naively

naiveness

naïveté

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of naiveness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gauntlet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes