as in naive
resembling or suggesting a child; like that of a child
a childlike honesty He had a childlike innocence that others found endearing.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of childlike
Some of the patterns may also be a little too childlike, but that’s a matter of personal preference.
—
Mike Richard, Men's Health, 28 Oct. 2022
Some pieces wrestled with the turbulence and violence of the day, but others had a childlike quality.
—Neil Genzlinger, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
As Payne slips deeper into his sober analyst role, Curry appears to be playing with more childlike joy than ever.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Nov. 2022
Moving freely through this scenery called up a childlike joy.
—Tess Taylor, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 May 2022
See all Example Sentences for childlike 
Mike Richard, Men's Health, 28 Oct. 2022
Some pieces wrestled with the turbulence and violence of the day, but others had a childlike quality.
—Neil Genzlinger, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2022
As Payne slips deeper into his sober analyst role, Curry appears to be playing with more childlike joy than ever.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Nov. 2022
Moving freely through this scenery called up a childlike joy.
—Tess Taylor, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 May 2022
See all Example Sentences for childlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childlike
Adjective
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From there sprung Brian, played by Lou Taylor Pucci, an alien who looks like a new-age guru in a tracksuit, and, depending on the scene, can be naive, manipulative, aloof, romantic, cruel and even self-pitying.—
William Earl,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2025
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Things were exacerbated by naive decisions made by United players on both sides of the ball.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The genuine impact of a viral trend can differ in menswear compared to womenswear.—
Maliha Shoaib,
Vogue,
11 Feb. 2025
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Indeed, with some of these advanced tools capable of cloning a genuine website in just a matter of a few clicks, Warmenhoven said, phishing has become both more frequent and effective.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Styled by Dani Levi, Kardashian wore a simple floor-length bodycon gown from Balenciaga Couture.—
Mikelle Street,
WWD,
17 Feb. 2025
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Yellow is the simplest, and purple is the most difficult.—
New York Times Games,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As the true scale of the fallout comes into view, African governments are wondering how to fill gaping holes left in vital services, like health care and education, that until recent weeks were funded by the United States.—
Declan Walsh,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2025
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As for the Bright Midnight archive, the drummer believes that the Doors’ live records are the backdoor into the band’s true genius.—
A.D. Amorosi,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This debauchery led to Fear being banned from SNL, which singer Lee Ving has always considered to be a real honor.—
Shannon Carlin,
TIME,
15 Feb. 2025
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Likewise, there will be many who won’t feel this is such a big deal given there’s no real suggestion that the amount of clostebol Sinner took would have given him much of a competitive advantage.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Expect seasonal, ecologically sustainable base ingredients that all influence natural sweetness.—
Melinda Newman,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
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As sharks generally share the same core set of olfactory receptors across different species—regardless of their different habitats and lifestyles—the natural deterrent has the potential to work across the majority of shark species.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But Betancourt’s classmates found his take prudish and unsophisticated.—
Jake Nevins,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
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The accelerating expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal suggests that its leaders have recently decided that its historically small and unsophisticated capabilities were insufficient for Beijing’s needs and ambitions.—
Abraham M. Denmark,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Nov. 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Childlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childlike. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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