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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of artless are ingenuous, naive, natural, and unsophisticated. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," 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 artless?

While the synonyms ingenuous and artless are close in meaning, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.

the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

When would naive be a good substitute for artless?

Although the words naive and artless have much in common, naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.

politically naive

Where would natural be a reasonable alternative to artless?

While in some cases nearly identical to artless, natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.

her unaffected, natural manner

When might unsophisticated be a better fit than artless?

The synonyms unsophisticated and artless are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 artless The untenable toxicity of this artless warfare has led some researchers to rethink the ancient script—and flip it: know yourself, know your enemy. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 15 July 2024 His desire to control his own story may account for why his book about his years hiding under the fatwa, 2012’s Joseph Anton: A Memoir, was so artless, a tome of grievances and gripes; that was Great Man Rushdie laying claim to his own existence as intellectual property. Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024 Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo are Patricia and Michel, the gamine and the criminal, simultaneously artless and deliberate. Ew Staff, EW.com, 7 May 2024 His pictures look perfectly artless, the opposite of the decisive moment and the epitome of the snapshot aesthetic. Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for artless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artless
Adjective
  • During the two-and-a-half years when one of the four tubes will be shut to train traffic, the current LIRR and Amtrak schedules — both of which were slightly reduced as of November in anticipation of the shutdown — should, in theory, be unaffected.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
  • In addition, although students with high SAT scores were largely unaffected by course shutouts, students with low SAT scores experienced more negative effects, particularly a lower likelihood of declaring a STEM major.
    Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • These transitions, between past and present, are sometimes clumsy but sometimes genuinely sweet, as with an old letter that near-simultaneously is dictated and written, received and read, and finally rediscovered (and only partially understood) in the 21st century.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 27 May 2025
  • Wildlife officials helped remove a black bear found hanging out in the kitchen of a Kentucky home after an impressive, yet clumsy break-in, photos show.
    Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • That genuine moment became a symbol of love, sacrifice and something deeper — breaking generational cycles.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 30 May 2025
  • Listen actively to the client's concerns, demonstrating genuine empathy for their position.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Hintz, meanwhile, got a rude welcome back early in Game 4 when Evan Bouchard slashed him right in the same area that Darnell Nurse injured him in Game 2.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 27 May 2025
  • And in the case of fully autonomous EVs, it might be considered rude to expect human passengers to get out and cable a robotaxi to a supercharger for a quick top up on the way to the airport.
    Paul Ridden May 23, New Atlas, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Trevon Williams, who did not escape from the New Orleans jail, was charged with 10 counts of being a principal to simple escape, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on May 23.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 May 2025
  • Related Stories 13 Under-The-Radar Activities And Experiences In Key West The 11 Best Key West Restaurants On The Water Rooms And Rates The rooms are bright, cheerful, and simple, with colorful coastal touches in artwork and decorative items like pillows.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Such a fund holds derivatives tied to the prices of a basket of physical assets—crude oil, natural gas, precious metals, base metals, grains, livestock.
    William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Subscribe The core inflation is expected to ease in the coming months due to lower crude oil prices and the yen’s appreciation, said Masato Koike, economist at Sompo Institute Plus.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Players appreciated such an honest approach during the Euro 2022 campaign, which garnered mutual respect and trust.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • So much of it feels like a fever dream, to be honest, being in Singapore.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The 200 square miles of surrounding coral reefs proved rough for mariners, but divers now reap the benefits with some 300 shipwrecks to explore, from the 192-foot American schooner Constellation that sank during World War II to the Mary Celestia, a Civil War era paddle-wheeler.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
  • Zippers provide the most secure closure, but their bulkiness and rough feel may mar a peaceful sleep.
    Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Artless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artless. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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