Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of unsophisticated are artless, ingenuous, naive, and natural. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness.

unsophisticated adolescents

Where would artless be a reasonable alternative to unsophisticated?

While in some cases nearly identical to unsophisticated, artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others.

artless charm

When would ingenuous be a good substitute for unsophisticated?

The meanings of ingenuous and unsophisticated largely overlap; however, ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.

the ingenuous enthusiasm of children

When is naive a more appropriate choice than unsophisticated?

The words naive and unsophisticated can be used in similar contexts, but naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.

politically naive

When might natural be a better fit than unsophisticated?

While the synonyms natural and unsophisticated are close in meaning, natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.

her unaffected, natural manner

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 unsophisticated But Betancourt’s classmates found his take prudish and unsophisticated. Jake Nevins, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 The accelerating expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal suggests that its leaders have recently decided that its historically small and unsophisticated capabilities were insufficient for Beijing’s needs and ambitions. Abraham M. Denmark, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2021 For anyone who thinks a pair of headphones aimed at drummers might be a bit unsophisticated and possibly a little brutal, nothing could be further from the truth. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024 Initially hesitant to accept her help, Chadwick warms to his TA thanks to her anxious but dedicated work ethic, as well as her flare for debate — a notable turn from the somewhat unsophisticated nature of Ronald’s relationship with Cecile in the 1999 film. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for unsophisticated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsophisticated
Adjective
  • She's got a squeaky clean image and is a little bit naive.
    Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • With Back on My Feet, people called me naive, and a pollyanna.
    Shimite Obialo, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Martha Stewart and Mila Kunis carried ones that looked like this simple option.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Murena Pixel Tablet Apps Switching away from Google's flavor of Android will always result in an app gap, and there's no simple way around it.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison Still, despite being declared innocent and freed, Knox says she was never allowed to fully live her life again.
    Gillian Telling, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • In the final moments of last week’s episode, Hector Ayala, aka the hero White Tiger, was found innocent in his trial against the NYPD then shot and killed on the street by an unknown murderer.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.
    Joseph J. Kolb, Fox News, 18 July 2017
  • Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.
    OregonLive.com, OregonLive.com, 12 July 2017
Adjective
  • He’s been there; Harper was emotional — at times, immature — as a younger player.
    Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • From its opening scenes, Severance has presented the procedure the show is named for as a kind of birth, the spawning of a new, immature being.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsophisticated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsophisticated. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unsophisticated

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!