NAIVE Synonyms: 173 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'naive' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of naive are artless , ingenuous , natural , and unsophisticated . While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence. // politically naive

Q: When can 'artless' be used instead of 'naive'?

The meanings of artless and naive largely overlap; however, artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others. // artless charm

Q: When is it sensible to use 'ingenuous' instead of 'naive'?

Although the words ingenuous and naive have much in common, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions. // the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

Q: When would 'natural' be a good substitute for 'naive'?

The synonyms natural and naive are sometimes interchangeable, but natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world. // her unaffected, natural manner

Q: In what contexts can 'unsophisticated' take the place of 'naive'?

While in some cases nearly identical to naive , unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness. // unsophisticated adolescents

naive

adjective

nä-ˈēv

variants or naïve

Definition of naive next

as in innocent

lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment a first-time buyer who was so naive that he believed the salesman's spiel and paid good money for the rusty and broken-down car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in genuine

free from any intent to deceive or impress others the young girl gave honest and naive answers to the social worker's probing questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in easy

readily taken advantage of we get piles of junk mail because you are naive enough to keep entering these dumb contests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of naive are artless, ingenuous, natural, and unsophisticated. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.

politically naive

When can artless be used instead of naive?

The meanings of artless and naive largely overlap; however, 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 naive?

Although the words ingenuous and naive have much in common, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.

the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

When would natural be a good substitute for naive?

The synonyms natural and naive are sometimes interchangeable, but natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.

her unaffected, natural manner

In what contexts can unsophisticated take the place of naive?

While in some cases nearly identical to naive, 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 naive There is a very innocent, naive quality to life, and there’s a horror and a sickness as well. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2025 So now, a kindler, gentler Pat Riley suddenly is naive? Not buying. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025 Then came fire-prevention building codes, which made large city burns a memory of a more naive time. —

Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025 By my naive estimation, our home sat at least three blocks south of the street no wildfire could realistically cross in any event other than the biblical apocalypse. —

Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for naive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive

Adjective

One day, during an innocent prank call in a phone booth, Richard shockingly witnesses his classmate violently get sucked into the phone receiver and disappear without a trace.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
After a 16-month war that started with the horrific killing of 1,200 innocent Israelis and abduction of 250 more by Hamas terrorists and then the killing of more than 47,500 people in Gaza — mostly women and children — a fragile ceasefire began Jan. 19.

— Mike Quigley, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025