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
Example Sentences
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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
-
Although this Cinderella is thankfully not a naive maiden, her storyline occasionally gets muddled by one too many loose threads.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Jan. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Notably, even though Prince Julian is vocal that his search for a bride is limited to virgins, Agnes has a literal roll in the hay early on with a worker on the estate.—
William Earl,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2025
-
That was the most moving moment of the day for Marie Capucine, 37, a consecrated virgin representing her Parisian parish of Saint Germain des Prés at the reopening.—
THOMAS ADAMSON AND SYLVIE CORBET THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Small amounts of green confetti started to fly from the upper deck at that point at the countdown was officially on for the Super Bowl.—
Dan Gelston,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Jan. 2025
-
The home’s only inhabitants now are the small green lizards that dart up and down its gray concrete walls.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
As the creature prepares to attack the innocents, it is bound by a familiar orange magic as the Sorcerer Supreme Dr. Strange (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) appears.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Jan. 2025
-
Doctors have risked their lives to treat the homeless, wounded, ill, disabled and starving innocents in Gaza.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Some species of birds will feign a broken wing to draw a predator away from their fledglings.—
Harvey Whitehouse,
WIRED,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Some Syrians fear that Israel is taking advantage of Syria's fledgling government to make a land grab.—
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The author came to Canada from England in 1923 as a 23-year-old greenhorn.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
15 Aug. 2024
-
Hence the herring, every greenhorn’s rite of passage on the Wizard.—
Ashley Boucher,
EW.com,
11 June 2024
Noun
-
In the first, a mayor placed them in the park to keep the grass trimmed (alongside some sheep, now gone).—
Gary Shteyngart,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
-
But that moment of enjoyment is only a brief, illusory respite from Ahmet’s laborious responsibilities herding sheep and caring for his kid brother Naim (Agush Agushev), the picture of innocence and adorableness, who hasn’t spoken since their mother died.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The 5-year-old colt won his last two races after transferring to the Blacker barn with wins in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship and Breeders’ Cup Sprint.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The colt hasn’t won a race since being blanketed eight months ago in Derby roses.—
Clark Spencer,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near naïf
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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