variants also naïvety
Definition of naivetynext
chiefly British

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 naivety However, Mats Alvesson and Katja Einola critique bright-side leadership in their 2019 Leadership Quarterly article, suggesting that bright-side leadership can drift into naivety or excessive positivity. Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 There's a naivety and sweetness to them that's ripped away in an instant when the two passionately make love in the barren house, the inciting incident for the demise of their relationship. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 But this removal from war’s true horrors brought a bit of naivety to the movement. JSTOR Daily, 15 Oct. 2025 There’s less of a child-like sense of innocence and naivety. Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naivety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naivety
Noun
  • His lawyers said Weinstein still maintains his innocence.
    Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.
    Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That ease and naturalness are paramount to Copeland.
    Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The slightly distressed finish of brown sneakers adds naturalness and ease that pairs harmoniously with the low profile of baggy jeans.
    Alex Sales, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Bieber hit the hard reset on Coachella maximalism The entire performance dealt in assured simplicity from the 32-year-old.
    Reanna Cruz, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
  • In reimagining the 1950s-style entry, Misso opted for simplicity, ditching traditional trim around the white oak door in favor of a brick surround painted Benjamin Moore’s White Dove.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In an impactful Broadway debut, the Scream star finds the sweet spot between sincerity and satire, playing Rose as earnestly naive without losing the character's strength.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Try a small style change, because leading with sincerity draws the right people.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • While some of the women who came here willingly embraced ISIS ideology and passed it on to their children, many others say they were trafficked or lured to the region through ignorance or under false pretenses.
    Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Hence the social contract on which proto-citizens situated behind the veil of ignorance would agree, arranges social and economic inequalities in such a manner as to make the worst off as well off as possible; economic policies would benefit the well-being of the least advantaged.
    George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Naivety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naivety. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on naivety

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster