1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026 -
These forces—economic uncertainty, political division, and toxic algorithms—work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness… that kindness is gullibility… that sincerity is for suckers.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a national icon, the Natural Bridge served as a quiet, Emersonian rebuke to Europe’s militaristic triumphal arches, reinforcing the naturalness of American democracy.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Across 10,000 trials, the system delivered strong performance in both forehand and backhand strokes, surpassing previous methods in accuracy, consistency, and motion naturalness.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There's a certain simplicity to it.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
That kind of simplicity is nice.—
Eileen Finan,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The presumption of innocence remains fully intact.—
Jordan Freiman,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
The trick of claiming such devout innocence worked quite readily for the last several years.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
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But that argument deserves scrutiny, not credulity.—
William J. Brady,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
To stretch credulity even further beyond the breaking point, Jamie has to walk an untold distance from her house to the area around the venue in order to put her in alignment with Tom.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
There was such calm, quiet sincerity on his part.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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Darry Sragow, a veteran Democratic strategist who advised Checchi, said Steyer’s focus on such causes had the potential to be meaningful to voters who are often skeptical about the sincerity and motives of rich candidates.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Recent Pew data shows that roughly 58 million Americans do not affirm belief in any god or universal spirit.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
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There is now a greater belief that the world may require more oil in the years ahead before oil demand eventually peaks amid rising electric vehicles and electrification.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Gilbert’s colloquial style, once a source of great pleasure, has tipped into new territory—an ingenuousness that blends guru and disciple, mother and child.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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