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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’s a long intellectual tradition of people not believing in a kind of naive form of direct democracy, going back to the American founders, to today — and even before the American founders, going back to the ancient Greeks. Noel King, Vox, 15 Mar. 2025 The credulous faith that these superpowers will voluntarily settle for some form of peaceful coexistence, if only they are sufficiently propitiated with concessions, is naive and dangerous. Michael Miklaucic, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025 Similarly naive are Trump’s and Biden’s attempts to regulate access to AI information — such as China’s AI restrictions. Lutz Finger, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Excited, if a little naive, over the prospect of a road trip, the trio chart a path to Big Sky Country. Matt Cabral, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naive
Adjective
  • Since 1973, at least 200 innocent people have been exonerated due to wrongful convictions.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • In a nearly 400-page petition to the California Court of Appeals, filed Friday night, the LA Innocence Project argued Scott Peterson is innocent and his conviction should be overturned.
    Santina Leuci, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Here's what to know about haints, including a compilation of viewers' genuine reactions to Coogler's subtle reference.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • That genuine bond off-screen has helped bring the series to life in a way that connects with viewers.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Finding a great car seat toy can make traveling with a baby much easier and more enjoyable.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The proliferation of issue-position groups is made easier by the ability to quickly find and connect with people who share your views via the internet and social media.
    Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This was an honest error and was not intentional in any way.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
  • And, to be honest, her description of the breakup at that time sounded a lot more amicable than it’s been sounding lately.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Its second life on streaming has guided new viewers to the simple charms of one of the best mystery shows of all time.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Asked who’d buy these gold cards during an Oval Office meeting with reporters in February, Trump had a simple answer.
    Meehika Barua, HubSpot, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Francis hailed as 'true advocate for peace' In 2019, Francis became the first pontiff to set foot on the peninsula where Islam was born.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Walker will likely need time to develop in the right system, and the Raiders should wait until later to take a true off-ball linebacker.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • There was a lot to unpack in that episode about Eli and Aimee-Leigh, who never actually believed that Y2K was a threat, just another opportunity to soak their gullible parishioners for money.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Bad spelling and grammar ensured that most users deleted the message, leaving only the most gullible users in the pipeline.
    Kevin Korte, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The group writes its malware in relatively unsophisticated scripting languages like VBScript and Powershell rather than the C++ used by savvier hackers.
    Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Each of those words is unsophisticated alone and devastating when strung together.
    Joel Stein, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Naive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naive. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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