variants also naivete or naiveté
1
2
as in gullibility
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence though he was streetwise, the investigative reporter regularly assumed an air of naïveté when he was interviewing confidence men, charlatans, counterfeiters, and other assorted swindlers of the general public

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 naïveté There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music. Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025 Tascioni is an exuberant person by nature, which many antagonists mistake for naivete. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 Biden’s naivete on the matter can perhaps be excused, but not Trump’s. John Tamny, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 Perhaps the spectacle of naivete is all part of the Altman image. Allison Morrow, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024 So Americans who don't travel, who 80 percent don't have a passport, who are uneducated, are in their extraordinary naivete. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 The naivete is challenging to understand when attackers use virtually every standard tool—from hardware and software to cloud resources—to conduct their operations. Denis Mandich, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 Anderson plays Shelley with a consummate sweetness that sometimes registers as naivete. Esther Zuckerman, TIME, 7 Sep. 2024 That is sort of where the disappointment comes from … my naivete. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïveté
Noun
  • Trump maintains his innocence, and the judgment of now over $500 million, including interest, is on appeal.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Pink is a blend of red (passion) and white (innocence).
    BestReviews, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Despite its simplicity, the coin toss is a pivotal moment in the Super Bowl, one that carries weight far beyond its apparent randomness.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
  • While ETFs offer intraday liquidity for investors, some financial advisors and their clients may prefer the long-term track records and simplicity of traditional money market funds, many of which are designed to trade at $1.
    Jesse Pound, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Collaborating with high-profile influencers who genuinely align with their brand values allows companies to authentically engage potential customers, all while building trust and credibility.
    Joshua Adragna, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2025
  • The balance between mercy and accountability has always been delicate, but when that balance is disrupted without due process, the credibility of the entire system is weakened.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Blindness or willful ignorance of the future is an extremely risky path to pursue.
    PATRICK CASEY, DEBRA FISER, WHIT HALL and GARY WHEELER Special to the Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2025
  • The recent malicious defamation and degradation of DEI is based at best on ignorance and at worst, on racial bias and stereotyping.
    Dr. Tony Lux, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • As the second season wears on, this notion warps the plot in ways that strain credulity, and the series’ innumerable cliffhangers gum up the narrative with artificial tension.
    Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
  • In his absence — and the long-term absences, at various times, of Barnes, Quickley, Barrett, Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk and others — the Raptors have had to throw out some lineups that strain credulity as legitimate NBA lineups.
    Eric Koreen, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Unlike many child actors, Wright isn’t precocious so much as devastatingly genuine in her peculiar blend of wisdom and naivety.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Feb. 2025
  • The show navigated the stars' early domestic lives, with Simpson's apparent naivety endearing her to viewers.
    John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Many on Wall Street echoed that optimism, citing the sea change in the U.S. government’s regulatory approach to crypto that is more supportive of the industry and that is likely to allow Coinbase to focus more on future growth and innovation and less on fighting regulatory battles.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Suspicions rise amidst growing tensions in the city, and Cervantes, driven by an unwavering sense of optimism, devises a daring plan for freedom.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near naïveté

Cite this Entry

“Naïveté.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFvet%C3%A9. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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