simpleness

noun

Definition of simplenessnext
1
as in simplicity
the quality or state of being simple and sincere the simpleness of the villagers was so disarming that she temporarily abandoned her natural cynicism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind his sweetness was more important to them than his simpleness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naïveté
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence there's a good-hearted simpleness about her that makes her easy prey for scams

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 simpleness The simpleness of the look really allowed the Crocs to stand out and make an impression. — Tara Larson, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simpleness
  1. simplicity
  2. thickness
  3. naturalness
  4. slowness
  5. innocence
  6. stupidness
  7. sincerity
  8. dullness
Noun
  • The key is simplicity and predictability, giving producers confidence that American locations can compete with foreign alternatives.
    — Sam Roseme, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Complexity can disguise poor thinking, while simplicity can expose it.
    — Ricardo Bellino, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • Of course, some of the reasons guests struggle to sleep while traveling have nothing to do with the thickness of the walls or noise from the hallway.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • We are desired and judged, we are measured by the thickness of our thighs, size of our chests, sparkle in our grin.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of thickness
Noun
  • Acted with breathtaking ensemble naturalness, the play seems lived in rather than performed.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The ensemble of actors is convincing in its naturalness, with the characterizations remaining consistently precise and ambivalent.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of naturalness
Noun
  • Such spaces create temporary refuges from the digital stream, and allow habits of slowness, concentration, and absorption to become socially reinforced.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The common thread is control, texture, and slowness, all qualities Gen Z associates with a world that existed before smartphones, gig work, and platform algorithms flattened daily life into something frictionless and disorienting.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of slowness
Noun
  • That raw innocence would prove crucial to Zai’s character, who experiences a gamut of violations masked as privilege.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The Adelson family had long denied any involvement in Markel’s killing, and in August 2016, their lawyer released a statement maintaining their innocence.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of innocence
Noun
  • In an email to Krebs, Valadon claimed that the repo’s commit logs show that GitHub’s default protections against committing secrets—protections designed to protect unwitting or unskilled developers against exactly this kind of stupidness—had been disabled by the repo’s administrator.
    — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Definition of stupidness
Noun
  • The 25-year-old California singer-songwriter staked out his turf by taking pride in the ordinariness of his hit, from the mild-mannered vocals to the drama-free sincerity of his romantic imagery.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Most scenes were filmed with four or five takes as the actors experimented with different tones, feelings, and levels of sincerity to give Meriwether options in the editing room.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sincerity
Noun
  • After consistent use, our top picks left skin looking and feeling more hydrated, bouncy, smooth, and radiant, while helping to minimize the appearance of fine lines, dullness, and uneven texture.
    — Sheryl George, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2026
  • If tone, pigmentation or dullness is a concern, Nathan says chemical peels may be helpful.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dullness

Browse Nearby Words

simplemindedness
simpleness
simpleton
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Simpleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simpleness. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stigma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All