as in naive
lacking in sophistication
a simplistic belief in claims of the product's effectiveness simplistic thinking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 simplistic
But that doesn’t mean that the decision extends in all settings or that the extension is a simplistic cookie cutter, as the letter seems to suggest.
—
Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
Unlike the World War II generation, Trump possessed no overarching—if simplistic—framework for his foreign policy.
—Steven Gillon / Made By History, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025
In this simplistic binary, the future of humanity can only follow two starkly divergent paths: one notionally leading to nearly limitless prosperity on Earth and beyond, the other leading nowhere besides the collapse of our global civilization and ultimately human extinction.
—Rebecca Charbonneau, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2025
Broad simplistic pronouncements, either positive or negative, to advance a political agenda should be viewed with suspicion.
—Jon Coupal, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for simplistic
Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
Unlike the World War II generation, Trump possessed no overarching—if simplistic—framework for his foreign policy.
—Steven Gillon / Made By History, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025
In this simplistic binary, the future of humanity can only follow two starkly divergent paths: one notionally leading to nearly limitless prosperity on Earth and beyond, the other leading nowhere besides the collapse of our global civilization and ultimately human extinction.
—Rebecca Charbonneau, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2025
Broad simplistic pronouncements, either positive or negative, to advance a political agenda should be viewed with suspicion.
—Jon Coupal, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for simplistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simplistic
Adjective
-
Neither was it based on wishful thinking or naive optimism.—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
-
As that incident indicated, Oded was not naive about Palestinian terrorism.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But with a change as simple as adding a bistro table and chairs, these cozy nooks become inviting oases to use regularly.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Mar. 2025
-
But there's a simple—and so easy-to-remember—method that will make the packing process easy every time: the 5-4-3-2-1 method.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
My hair is still thin, childish and deserving of the gentle wash that baby shampoo affords.—
John Hodgman,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
-
The pair settle right away into the half-affectionate, half-annoyed, goofy childish dynamic recognizable to adult siblings everywhere — to the amusement and occasional irritation of Frank, a locally beloved good old boy who’s only the teeny-tiniest bit prone to vanity and corruption.—
Angie Han,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Today’s political speeches and television dramas don’t denigrate Ottoman leaders as unsophisticated conquerors but adulate them as pioneers of a new civilizational order—fair in governance and more compassionate toward their subjects than their Western contemporaries.—
Asli Aydintasbas,
Foreign Affairs,
19 May 2021
-
Commutations for unsophisticated folk who had been over-sentenced would have been defensible, but impunity for practitioners of political violence is what doomed the Weimar Republic.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Simplistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simplistic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share