naiveness

1
as in naiveté
readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence I can't believe the naiveness of people who don't realize there's always some catch to so-called free offers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiveness
Noun
  • However, O’Neill Burke said the office’s position on issuing certificates of innocence has shifted.
    Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Pitino maintained his innocence throughout that scandal, which included allegations that Adidas representatives funneled $100,000 to the family of a Louisville recruit.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In turn, the film presents the trio as the three versions of womanhood: Pinky’s youth and naivete, Millie’s seductive ambition, and Willie’s maternal homemaker warmth.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
  • There’s a lot of naivete, certainly, in certain forms of popular music.
    Katherine Turman, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But the simplicity of the sequence of events — Smith’s shot perfectly careening off the side of the rim and Şengün’s subsequent positioning for the putback — was indicative of Houston’s rebounding prowess.
    Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
  • These businesses are hard to find in an increasingly complex world, but Munger recognized that simplicity wins.
    Steve Booren, The Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Trump has indulged in overly optimistic rhetoric about Moscow’s sincerity, and questions about his true aims linger.
    Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The pair’s smiles—seemingly so warm just moments prior—now appear painfully, alarmingly, pasted on, throwing their earlier sincerity into question.
    Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 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
  • The actor recently appeared on The Pivot podcast and elaborated on his belief that male leaders are not only losing their authority but that young men will increasingly fail to learn from their example and exacerbate the problem exponentially.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The incident has led to speculation and reporting that Dropkick Murphys were banned from X due to Casey’s comments and broadly left-leaning, anti-Trump political beliefs.
    Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Cruelty and condescension also figure frequently in the director’s work, bringing an acrid aftertaste to this reflection on the insularity of wealth and class, and the naivety of showing disdain for privilege to well-heeled prospective in-laws.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • Chicago victims of credit card scam warn others to be on guard: ‘I was just blinded by my naivety’ Chicago victims of credit card scam warn others to be on guard: 'I was just blinded by my naivety' Editorial: Donald Trump uses Democrats as stooges at address to Congress.
    Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The filmmakers make easy work of granting them the agency to see their stories through, bucking a backdrop of ignorance to stand up to forces attempting to quiet the voices of impending revolution.
    Holly Jones, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Her courageous work in eastern Ukraine stands in direct contrast to Trump and Putin, who heap praise on each other and ignore the devastation to Ukraine, an ignorance that not even death and injury to women and children can penetrate.
    Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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