variants
also naivete
or naiveté
1
as in innocence
the quality or state of being simple and sincere
her naïveté led her to leave her new car unlocked while she shopped at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gullibility
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence
though he was streetwise, the investigative reporter regularly assumed an air of naïveté when he was interviewing confidence men, charlatans, counterfeiters, and other assorted swindlers of the general public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of naïveté
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
Is there intimidation, naivete, fear of being alone?
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
On the contrary, the narrative voice mixes naivete and disbelief.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
One character starts with hope and naivete, and the other with the wisdom that comes from tough, life-altering experiences.
—Nick Jonas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus begins an addictive of melding personal infatuation with messy dynamics, as spirits of domination and naivete co-mingle.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music.
—Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025
Our heroes’ naivete is catching, apparently.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
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
Is there intimidation, naivete, fear of being alone?
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
On the contrary, the narrative voice mixes naivete and disbelief.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
One character starts with hope and naivete, and the other with the wisdom that comes from tough, life-altering experiences.
—Nick Jonas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Thus begins an addictive of melding personal infatuation with messy dynamics, as spirits of domination and naivete co-mingle.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music.
—Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025
Our heroes’ naivete is catching, apparently.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
-
After maintaining his innocence for more than two years, on July 2, Kohberger admitted to the quadruple killings in court and pleaded guilty to all counts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
In response to the findings, Wallace issued a statement expressing regret while maintaining his innocence on the most serious allegations.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
To stand and hold a place in simplicity is one of the most difficult things for any performer to do.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2025
-
The Wicked star loves the sonic drama of the track, in spite of its lyrical simplicity.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Without this trust, even the best AI solution can undermine the company’s credibility.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
The bombing campaign against Iraq was only politically possible because Cohen had the credibility to assure his fellow Republicans and the nation that the military wasn’t acting to protect the president’s political interests.—
Time,
Time,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Those who get their disinformation from Fox, One America News Network and Newsmax will remain clueless and continue to suffer the consequences of their ignorance.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
-
This experiment in willful ignorance can only end poorly.—
Ben Santer,
Scientific American,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
Yet worse than credulity — or perhaps just its flip side — is cynicism.—
David Nurenberg,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Despite a rocky use of the miscommunication trope the stretches credulity slightly, the novel celebrates love stories and the possibility of magic made real.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Thankfully there are plenty of examples of leaders embracing productive naivety.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
-
Posey, for all his naivety in his new role, is at least empowered by ownership.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
But in an exchange before reporters before the dinner got underway, both leaders expressed optimism that their success in Iran would mark a new era in the Middle East.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
8 July 2025
-
If the Western frontier defined American optimism in the 19th century, the suburban frontier defined it in the 20th.—
Marina Bolotnikova,
Vox,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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