NAÏF Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

naïf 1 of 2

adjective

variants or naif

Definition of naïf

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

naïf

2 of 2

noun

variants or naif

as in virgin

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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 naïf

Adjective

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

In his directorial debut, Early, who also wrote the film, plays Maddie, a blonde naif who skyrockets to viral fame for recipes created in the test kitchen of GourMaybe, a fictional but winkingly all-too-familiar online content hub. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2026 There is a risk of turning Artie into a naif, but in her careful, close observations, his depths become increasingly legible. — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for naïf

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf

Adjective

Sutskever is portrayed as the idealistic, naive hero — the ingenious mind behind the lab’s entire existence who can’t stomach lying and is reluctant to accumulate any power.

— Hayden Field, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Rebecca and Verity, which stars Johnson, are also about a new, naïve lover entering the home of a bad man with a wife hidden in his house of horrors.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of naive

Noun

Instead of putting bourbon into a new set of barrels, the distillery inserts 10 virgin French oak staves that have been seared into cask-strength Maker’s, and lets the whiskey age for a little more than two months in its cool limestone cellars.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
As the cost of petrochemical feedstocks for virgin synthetics rises by as much as 60 percent or more, the price difference between virgin and bio-based options is getting smaller.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of virgin

Adjective

Koo’s team has decades of experience making sushi, with the greenest employee boasting 15 years behind a sushi counter.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
At Compass Rose, the hotel’s grab-and-go counter for Cuban-style coffee and pastries, look for the hotel’s original 1939 green-glass front desk, where I was told there’s photographic evidence of Miami Vice’s Don Johnson leaning against it.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of green

Noun

On that terrible day, millions of Americans witnessed airplanes flying into buildings, people jumping off skyscrapers, and the Twin Towers collapsing with thousands of innocents inside.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of innocent

Adjective

These experienced and skilled athletes, who are often 22 or 23 years old, are appealing to coaches, especially when compared with inexperienced and physically less developed freshmen.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Hafley also cautioned against placing the sole blame on Willis, who started just the 11th game of his career and is leading a young offense with mostly inexperienced receivers who are still developing chemistry.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of inexperienced

Noun

There are believed to be two adult owls, and some photographers have claimed to have seen six fledglings, Barrett added.

— JOSEPH FREDERICK, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
In the 1925 novel, the appearance of fledglings symbolizes freedom, confinement and even spiritual rebirth, themes that follow lead characters Clarissa and Sally (whom Edebiri portrays) as the story unfolds.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fledgling

Noun

Johnson, who a near decade ago was a bubbly ingenue on the brink of superstardom, has since developed a reputation for a certain cool-girl deadpan opacity, a kind of mischievous remove during press appearances.

— Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
McInerny saw a character who deviated from the usual ingenue.

— Carole Horst, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of ingenue

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“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of naïf

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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