naiveness

1
as in naiveté
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiveness
Noun
  • In a March interview with the Tribune, State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke discussed certificates of innocence generally and said her office has set a high bar for evaluating the merits of such petitions.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
  • In it, Allen's wife, Kathy Allen, speaks out for the first time and maintains her husband's innocence, per the trailer.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This is the result of naivete: Who would want to hurt little old us?
    Stephen Marche, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
  • The secret is that Spike’s know-nothing naivete encourages us to see the world through the eyes of someone who’s new to every part of it.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • New providers decoupled payments from banks, focusing on speed, simplicity and APIs.
    Mustafa Khanwala, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Despite its make-do simplicity, bulldog gravy is delicious when made with flavorful fat, such as from smoky bacon.
    Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Nielsen played the bumbling LAPD lieutenant Frank Drebin with sincerity, making the absurdity around him all the funnier.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Rankin handles each passing year, each surprising revelation, and each family member’s responses with touching sincerity.
    AudioFile Magazine July 31, Literary Hub, 31 July 2025
Noun
  • Action movies have long strained the limits of credulity.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2025
  • Yet worse than credulity — or perhaps just its flip side — is cynicism.
    David Nurenberg, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Some other notable attacks at US military bases in recent years include: On November 5, 2009, an Army psychiatrist with radical Islamist beliefs opened fire at a processing center at Fort Hood, a major US Army post, in Texas, killing 13 people and an unborn child, and wounding more than 30 others.
    Hanna Park, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Each statement should challenge a common belief in [your industry/niche] while being defensible with evidence.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • White, who died in 2021 just shy of her 100th birthday, played a widow and mother of five, Rose, who was known for her naivety.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
  • And yet, the system continues to reduce people to diagnosis codes and protocol templates, often leaving naivety at the door.
    Colleen Reilly, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • This lack of education feeds ignorance and, in turn, complacency – allowing the flawed logic of deterrence to remain unchallenged.
    Masako Toki, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2025
  • It should be called the Know Nothings, a historical homage to anti-immigration and willful ignorance.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 28 July 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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