naive

adjective

nä-ˈēv How to pronounce naive (audio)
variants or naïve
Definition of naivenext
1
as in innocent
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment a first-time buyer who was so naive that he believed the salesman's spiel and paid good money for the rusty and broken-down car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others the young girl gave honest and naive answers to the social worker's probing questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in easy
readily taken advantage of we get piles of junk mail because you are naive enough to keep entering these dumb contests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word naive different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of naive are artless, ingenuous, natural, and unsophisticated. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.

politically naive

When can artless be used instead of naive?

The meanings of artless and naive largely overlap; however, artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others.

artless charm

When is it sensible to use ingenuous instead of naive?

Although the words ingenuous and naive have much in common, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.

the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

When would natural be a good substitute for naive?

The synonyms natural and naive are sometimes interchangeable, but natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.

her unaffected, natural manner

In what contexts can unsophisticated take the place of naive?

While in some cases nearly identical to naive, unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness.

unsophisticated adolescents

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 naive She's got a squeaky clean image and is a little bit naive. —Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2025 With Back on My Feet, people called me naive, and a pollyanna. —Shimite Obialo, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Putin know who his real friends are Putin isn’t naive. —Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025 Nearly all parents experience something akin to his naive desire, a wish to give their kid the future of their dreams while shielding them from pain and disappointment. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive
  1. innocent
  2. genuine
  3. easy
  4. honest
  5. simple
  6. true
  7. gullible
  8. unsophisticated
Adjective
  • His innocent questions were always softened by stoner jokes.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • That innocent people are disappearing into El Salvador’s prisons is no secret—making the embrace of Bukele a disturbing signal of just how far a strongman can go without losing political ground.
    — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • This is a moment of genuine courage and growth, but it can be dismissed as snitching by viewers who can’t see past her overconfidence from several hours ago.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Between the lines: Paxton is a genuine Trump ally and is eager to hit Cornyn for being a Washington establishment figure rather than true MAGA.
    — Stef W. Kight, Axios, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of genuine
Adjective
  • Though the dropper is easy to use, the brand also sells a massaging applicator, which maximizes distribution and blood flow.
    — Emily Orofino, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
  • This popular straight-shaft gas trimmer is lightweight and easy to use.
    — Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • The album is raw, honest, and deeply personal—a sonic letter to women and their stories, both told and untold.
    — Nour Ezzedine, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This accountability between sustainability initiatives and resilience among uncertainty is sparking more honest conversations, leading to more realistic goal setting and, ultimately, more meaningful progress.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of honest
Adjective
  • The simplest way, Studholme suggests, is to use one group of neutrals or a tone on tone graduation of the same color, such as Pigeon, Blue Gray, Muzzle and Cromarty from Farrow & Ball, for example.
    — Ariel Okin, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Will people be more open and accept that a simple, inexpensive date isn’t the sign of low effort but rather a reflection of the economy none of us asked for?
    — Myisha Battle, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • The same is true for picking up concertgoers after the show.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Arguing that the Smithsonian somehow misleads people, somehow is unpatriotic, somehow is saying things that are not true.
    — Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of true
Adjective
  • Bad spelling and grammar ensured that most users deleted the message, leaving only the most gullible users in the pipeline.
    — Kevin Korte, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The results were hilarious, but Gould also won hearts as the affable (if a bit gullible) victim of the ruse.
    — EW Staff, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of gullible
Adjective
  • Each of those words is unsophisticated alone and devastating when strung together.
    — Joel Stein, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Ertz and Gesicki are likely to want to play for contenders, while Conklin and Johnson will look to cash in on a fairly unsophisticated market.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of unsophisticated

Browse Nearby Words

nails (down)
naive
naively
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Cite this Entry

“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naive. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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