1
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
photographs that capture the ingenuous smiles of young children at play
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2
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
the story of an ingenuous newcomer to the big city who outwits the slickers at their own game
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Recent Examples of ingenuous
Diller soon struck a deal with Rupert Murdoch—then posing as an ingenuous newcomer to America—to buy Fox and merge it with Metromedia, a group of television stations owned by John Kluge.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s something soft about the play, a little ingenuous and underbrewed.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Jennifer Johnson Cano’s mezzo-soprano was smoothly plangent as Emilia; the tenor Pene Pati was a sweetly ingenuous Cassio.
—New York Times, 22 May 2022
Heathcliff, of course, is the prime example, growing from an ingenuous child into a glowering adult who spins all the considerable evil ever done to him — much of it based on race and class — into justification for his long game of retribution.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
His greatest hope for the future, Meghan is a high school senior at a horsy boarding school in the Washington area and possibly the most ingenuous girl since Alice in Wonderland.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
Colman has become a go-to actor for masking pained personal histories behind either brittle snappishness or bluff affability; Reid’s ingenuous, old-soul charm is a winning foil for that defensive quality.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 July 2022
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
By the water’s edge, her insecure 25-year-old son, Konstantin (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is mounting a post-apocalyptic play in which his enduring love, ingenuous country girl Nina (Emma Corrin), can act.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s something soft about the play, a little ingenuous and underbrewed.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Jennifer Johnson Cano’s mezzo-soprano was smoothly plangent as Emilia; the tenor Pene Pati was a sweetly ingenuous Cassio.
—New York Times, 22 May 2022
Heathcliff, of course, is the prime example, growing from an ingenuous child into a glowering adult who spins all the considerable evil ever done to him — much of it based on race and class — into justification for his long game of retribution.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
His greatest hope for the future, Meghan is a high school senior at a horsy boarding school in the Washington area and possibly the most ingenuous girl since Alice in Wonderland.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2022
Colman has become a go-to actor for masking pained personal histories behind either brittle snappishness or bluff affability; Reid’s ingenuous, old-soul charm is a winning foil for that defensive quality.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuous
Adjective
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That genuine moment became a symbol of love, sacrifice and something deeper — breaking generational cycles.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
30 May 2025
-
Samantha seems to have genuine chemistry with Chivon, but his sister Adeena (Sundra Oakley) is not thrilled about the relationship and confronts Samantha about it.—
Melissa Locker,
Time,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The first big work people make, that first foray into the public eye, has something so naive about it.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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But his answers Thursday painted the picture of an organization willing to trust internal answers over trading Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr. That is either delusional, naive, or both.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott emphasized that the city's drinking water remains unaffected by the spill.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
-
Tariffs imposed under a different legal authority called Section 232 — including on imports of autos, steel and aluminum — are unaffected by the ruling.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
The soap is said to smell like Sweeney’s childhood homeland, the Pacific Northwest, so anyone who has a warm and innocent association with that area’s pine, Douglas fir and earthy moss essence is likely to have that completely ruined.—
Christie D’Zurilla,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2025
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Al Nassr When a YouTuber named Abu Omar dared to do an innocent impression of supervillain Lionel Messi at the home of Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr gave a calm and measured response.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Because spontaneous conversations are harder in a hybrid environment, actively create spaces for honest discussions.—
Ayaskant Sarangi,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Like so many good honest people with common sense who work hard and pay taxes, the Democrat party has abandoned them.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
White is easy, simple, and many times, the best choice for a clean slate.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
5 June 2025
-
In addition to experiencing a surge of sensual energy with greater emphasis on life’s simple pleasures, Venus in Taurus has everything to do with feeling grounded and finding stability in both love and finances.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
The formula for ‘true tackles’ is slightly more long-winded: tackles + challenges lost + fouls committed.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
-
This offseason is the first true break for Steph and Ayesha since 2023.—
Natasha Dye,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
His career hamstrung by bipolar disorder and stints in psychiatric hospitals, Johnston first found acclaim as an unguarded and guileless songwriter in the late ’80s with tunes that cut instantly to the emotional quick.—
Grayson Haver Currin Eli Durst,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Yet in Allerton’s presence, Lee becomes a charmer who seems as guileless as a stammering schoolboy.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
13 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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