gullible
adjective
Did you know?
“Let a gull steal my fries once, shame on the gull; let a gull steal my fries twice, shame on me.” So goes the classic, oft-repeated seaside maxim reminding people to guard against being gullible. Okay, that’s not really how the old saw goes, but on the off chance that you believed our little trick, you yourself were, however briefly, gullible—that is, “easily duped.” The adjective gullible grew out of the older verb gull, meaning “to deceive or take advantage of.” (That gull originally meant “to guzzle or gulp greedily,” and comes from an even older gull meaning “throat, gullet.”) Another relative is the noun gull, referring to a person who is easy to cheat. However, no matter how much the seabirds we call gulls love to pilfer our potatoes, that avian gull has no relation, and is instead of Celtic origin—we promise.
Synonyms
Examples of gullible in a Sentence
Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Nov. 2024
At night, terrifying monsters come out and hunt anyone unlucky enough to be caught outside—or gullible enough to open their doors.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Maintaining printing's remaining customers should center around new features that ensure customers are tended to like assets with evolving needs, not gullible wallets.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2024
Despite his prominence, Jackson may face stiff competition from Ray Fisher, whose portrayal of the gullible Lymon has generated significant buzz.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 Sep. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near gullible
Cite this Entry
“Gullible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gullible. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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