variants
or naif
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
the senator, newly elected and still naïf, will learn soon enough how Washington really works
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variants
or naif
as in virgin
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of naïf
Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Colorful naif pictures by Katie Hickey and text arranged in substantial chunks make this perfect for browsing by young readers with an interest in engineering or architecture.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Farrow, presenting in the early scenes as an utter naif, discovers the pleasures of running cons; LuPone, who shows up a hellion, develops a sensitivity and nurturing spirit to the lost soul who’s provided her character a home.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
Obama is neither an out-of-his-depth naif nor a reactive realist.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2012
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Reasonable readers will arrive at varied opinions about the taste of all this—the facts are the facts, and the narrative pulses with empathy, but the tone at times resembles cosmic horror, as if Ehrenfest were a Lovecraftian naif driven mad after glimpsing an Elder God.
—Amy Brady, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2023
Sonny, the political naif, suddenly has mastered the procedures of the Texas House and turns them to his advantage.
—Shawna Seed, Dallas News, 12 Sep. 2023
Who says Merrick Garland is a political naif?
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022
With long hair and stubble, Fletcher is grungy and sweet, a seemingly free-spirited naif who also is, when the movie requires it, a font of Lone Star wisdom.
—Jim Kiest, San Antonio Express-News, 8 July 2021
Adjective
Most illustrators play up the coziness of the tale, what with children all snug in their beds dreaming of sugarplums and suchlike, but the friendly lines and marzipan colors of Ms. Beech’s naif illustrations take coziness to a new level.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Colorful naif pictures by Katie Hickey and text arranged in substantial chunks make this perfect for browsing by young readers with an interest in engineering or architecture.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Noun
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Farrow, presenting in the early scenes as an utter naif, discovers the pleasures of running cons; LuPone, who shows up a hellion, develops a sensitivity and nurturing spirit to the lost soul who’s provided her character a home.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
Obama is neither an out-of-his-depth naif nor a reactive realist.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2012
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Reasonable readers will arrive at varied opinions about the taste of all this—the facts are the facts, and the narrative pulses with empathy, but the tone at times resembles cosmic horror, as if Ehrenfest were a Lovecraftian naif driven mad after glimpsing an Elder God.
—Amy Brady, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2023
Sonny, the political naif, suddenly has mastered the procedures of the Texas House and turns them to his advantage.
—Shawna Seed, Dallas News, 12 Sep. 2023
Who says Merrick Garland is a political naif?
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022
With long hair and stubble, Fletcher is grungy and sweet, a seemingly free-spirited naif who also is, when the movie requires it, a font of Lone Star wisdom.
—Jim Kiest, San Antonio Express-News, 8 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf
Adjective
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Mercifully, Newcastle came up against a Leicester side whose setup under Ruud van Nistelrooy was as naive as their defensive performance was pitiful.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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Season 1 introduced Amina (Anjana Vasan), a naive but musically gifted nerd who joins the band Lady Parts to get closer to one member’s hunky brother.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In the eye-opening tell-all, Presley wrote that Jackson was a virgin when the two first got romantically involved in 1994.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
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On Michael Jackson Lisa Marie claims her ex-husband Michael Jackson was a virgin.Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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New wood will feel flexible and look more green than brown.Heather Bien, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2024
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Tangent The weekend will bring the Geminid meteor shower, expected to light up the sky with dozens of shooting stars—some shining green and purple—every hour.Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Palestinians, Ukrainians, and countless others suffer in places where death stalks innocents.Gwen Faulkenberry, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2024
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Just the lives of innocents and the future of media hanging in the balance, no biggie.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Back when The County Buzz, a tax-exempt nonprofit, still had a functioning website in 2007, an IRS filing shows the fledgling organization that year raised only $122 – putting it $1,000 in the red.Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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In today’s noisy landscape, initial efforts to get a fledgling client noticed may fall short.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The author came to Canada from England in 1923 as a 23-year-old greenhorn.Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 15 Aug. 2024
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Hence the herring, every greenhorn’s rite of passage on the Wizard.Ashley Boucher, EW.com, 11 June 2024
Noun
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Later home felt everywhere, radiant waters, thistles, greenest hilltops dotted with sheep, masses of tulips and geese, wandering William’s intricate paths, pausing at every turn, life stretching ahead, mountains of bliss and searing sorrow for years to come.Jennifer Harlan, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
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The sustainable brand makes latex for its mattresses in California using materials from its own farms, cares for thousands of sheep, and is working toward achieving a zero-waste output in its factory.Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In other news: Horse racing: After a three-year suspension, Bob Baffert was victorious in his return to Churchill Downs on Wednesday with his colt, Barnes.Stephanie Stremplewski, The Courier-Journal, 1 Dec. 2024
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The beautiful horses are the main attraction at the Breeders’ Cup, from the Future Stars Friday as juveniles, to the fantastic fillies, magnificent mares and classic colts that produce a lifetime of enjoyment for their connections and fans.Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near naïf
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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