NAIVENESS Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

naiveness

noun

Definition of naiveness

as in naïveté

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in naturalness

the quality or state of being simple and sincere the innate naiveness of young children is one of their most endearing qualities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiveness

Noun

Beyond the mystery at the novel’s core, Candlish examines themes of #MeToo harassment, truth versus fiction in social media trends, boomerang kids, and the fine line between gullibility and trust.

— The Know, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026
Members must accommodate themselves to its fictions, with varying mixtures of gullibility and cynicism; followers shown proof that the leader has lied may admire him all the more for his tactical cleverness.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of gullibility

Noun

Beauty, grace, freshness, naturalness, youth—all qualities which women have so often been reduced to.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
The young actors are appealing, led by Lilah Pate and Chabley Ponce; there’s a sweetness and naturalness to their cameraderie that stands out amid so much mugging and gives the film a lift.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of naturalness

Noun

The joy and innocence that greeted students and teachers on their return to school in early September has been lost, replaced by a somber and quiet aura.

— Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Holmes, the former founder of Theranos who was found guilty on four counts of fraud in 2022 and who insists on her innocence throughout the documentary, begins her 11-year sentence in a federal prison in Texas.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of innocence

Noun

What’s worse is the scene that follows, revealing the clean-up of multiple bodies and an elaborate rewriting of the narrative that strains credulity to put it mildly, not to mention shortchanging the Mexican characters.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
The earlier series has increasingly strained credulity by having its romance plots hinge on inequalities of gender and class, but seldom of race.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of credulity

Noun

Still, the sincerity matters, and so does the achievement of realizing something this strange with such conviction.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
After many fans online questioned the sincerity of Art of Play’s statement, Clarkson herself stepped back into the fray.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

A certain ingenuousness, an earnest impatience with the world’s many injustices, is a hallmark of Barbara Kingsolver’s novels.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Definition of ingenuousness

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.

Browse Nearby Words

naively

naiveness

naïveté

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Naiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiveness. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of naiveness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes