variants also naivete or naiveté
1
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

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 naïveté 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 The fund’s appreciation of over 600% YTD raises concerns about flawed perceptions of SpaceX ownership and naivete regarding the premium to NAV. Joel Shulman, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024 Merkel also displays naivete over global warming. Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 12 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
  • Blending animation with documentary-style narration, Najjar crafts a visually arresting and emotionally resonant exploration of violence, survival and lost innocence.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Watkins’ conviction was overturned in 2023, affirming his innocence after years of efforts by his family and the Georgia Innocence Project, according to the lawsuit.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Conduct an internal discovery and simplicity audit.
    Deanna Laster, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • While a game like No Man's Sky, with its procedural generation and ambition, might be more stunning, there's something uniquely charming and satisfying about the simplicity of Astroneer.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • By offering legal certainty, institutional-grade infrastructure, and reputational credibility, these jurisdictions are becoming the preferred environments for serious and sustainable cryptocurrency ventures.
    Irina Heaver, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share the best ways brands can rebuild credibility and strengthen their image after public criticism.
    Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Previously feigning ignorance about a potential departure, the German is now surplus to requirements under Hansi Flick with Garcia around.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Not 20/20 hindsight, mind you, but hindsight clouded by ideology, partisan politics and persistent ignorance.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • The plot beats that follow Dante’s death strain credulity past its breaking point, and the fun quickly wears thin.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • The Danish government dismissed Trump’s idea and critics mocked his supposed naivety.
    Ryan P. Burke, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
  • My naivety was expunged in my first few weeks on the job post-graduation.
    Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, The Dial, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The coalition expressed more optimism about future revenue in its June 10 budget compromise proposal, which the council adopted 7-2 after a long debate.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025
  • As of right now, there is not a lot of reason for optimism surrounding the 76ers.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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