as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
sidewalk vendors selling bogus gems to unsuspecting tourists
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsuspecting
This unsuspecting situationship is exactly what the show needed.
—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 18 Dec. 2025
When she’s not dressed up like a giant turkey for Thanksgiving or helping her grandson pull pranks on an unsuspecting public, Granny is hugging up on professional athletes at games and on red carpets.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 14 Dec. 2025
From his pulpit, Wicks rains down selectively vituperative fire and brimstone, with an eye toward provoking walkouts from unsuspecting visitors—say, a gay couple or a single mom.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
Wang's collaborative creation with other Santa Fe artists, visitors will stumble upon an unsuspecting Victorian home that becomes a site of wonder when a forceful blip rips through the metaphysics of time and space.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsuspecting
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 18 Dec. 2025
When she’s not dressed up like a giant turkey for Thanksgiving or helping her grandson pull pranks on an unsuspecting public, Granny is hugging up on professional athletes at games and on red carpets.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 14 Dec. 2025
From his pulpit, Wicks rains down selectively vituperative fire and brimstone, with an eye toward provoking walkouts from unsuspecting visitors—say, a gay couple or a single mom.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
Wang's collaborative creation with other Santa Fe artists, visitors will stumble upon an unsuspecting Victorian home that becomes a site of wonder when a forceful blip rips through the metaphysics of time and space.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsuspecting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsuspecting
Adjective
-
Levine sounds almost naive about the depth of this love.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Why portray Dorothy as a doe-eyed ding-a-ling; as not just naive but dumb?—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Earlier this year, two innocent people were stabbed to death on 16th Street in Denver by an individual who had previously been deemed incompetent and released — one tragic example highlighting gaps in the current system.—
Mike Johnston,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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This can include firing at an oncoming vehicle or even a fleeing vehicle if there is a credible assessment that failure to do so will result in the imminent death of police personnel or innocent bystanders.—
Laurence Miller,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Ten of the top 15 quarterbacks in the portal have already committed, and after that top tier, many of the remaining quarterbacks available are either young, inexperienced passers from Power 4 programs or starters from Group of 5 or FCS schools.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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According to the University of Massachusetts Global, teacher turnover results in a large number of inexperienced teachers being placed in classrooms, meaning more money is put toward recruiting, hiring and training.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This simple design works well once the engine is already moving very fast.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Do this simple test to find out if your soil is ready.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
However, Roth IRAs come with rules that could trigger tax penalties for the unwary.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
18 Nov. 2025
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Nothing can stop unwary parents from relying on the judgment of Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make healthcare decisions for their infants and children.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Twin Cities,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsuspecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsuspecting. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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