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
-
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
-
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
-
For businesses operating in food, health, wellness, and sustainability, this isn’t just a fringe issue but a growing strategic risk to product credibility, policy compliance, consumer safety, and long-term brand value.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Trump was also pressed about Blanche's sit-down with Maxwell and her credibility.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
5 Aug. 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
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
-
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
-
Three successive second-place finishes can be draining, but overriding optimism comes from their consistency.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
-
There might be some discussion in the baseball card community as to whether these blister packs were worth more closed than open, but that just might be a dash of hopeful optimism.—
Curtis Silver,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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