naivete
noun
, -ˌē-və-; nä-ˈēv-ˌtā, -ˈē-və-; nī-\
Definition of naivete
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Synonyms & Antonyms for naivete
Synonyms
artlessness, greenness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, innocence, naiveness, naivety (also naïvety) [chiefly British], naturalness, simplemindedness, simpleness, simplicity, unsophistication, unworldliness, viridity
Antonyms
artfulness, cynicism, knowingness, sophistication, worldliness
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Examples of naivete in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With teenage self-consciousness and some disarming naivete, Adam studies trans testimonials on YouTube and awkwardly hangs out with his girlfriend’s trans friends. — E.b. | New York, The Economist, "Rhys Ernst on the furore over his new film, “Adam”," 13 Aug. 2019 During one, Sala said that the Austrian had demonstrated a level of political naivete in navigating behind-the-scenes management of one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses. — Washington Post, "La Scala board agrees on new manager, ending uncertainty," 18 June 2019 From the start, Whitehead pushes hard on Elwood’s naivete. — Ron Charles, Twin Cities, "Colson Whitehead’s ‘Nickel Boys’ shreds confidence in the triumph of goodness," 4 Aug. 2019 To think that it should be done any other way is to betray naivete. — Andrew Sharp, SI.com, "NBA Stars Have More Power Than Ever, But How Well Are They Using It?," 16 July 2019 As the stakes become higher, Maddie — stepping on toes and forgoing protocol out of determination, naivete or a little bit of both — endangers not only her own life but others' as well. — Dallas News, "Laura Lippman's new novel is a love letter to Baltimore and its people," 23 July 2019 As the stakes become higher, Maddie — stepping on toes and forgoing protocol out of determination, naivete, or a little bit of both — endangers not only her own life but others. — Jen Michalski, Washington Post, "Laura Lippman’s love letter to Baltimore and its people," 22 July 2019 From the start, Whitehead pushes hard on Elwood’s naivete. — Ron Charles, chicagotribune.com, "‘The Nickel Boys’: Colson Whitehead considers harsh reality of American experiment in follow-up to ‘The Underground Railroad’," 11 July 2019 From the start, Whitehead pushes hard on Elwood’s naivete. — Ron Charles Critic, Washington Post, "In Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Nickel Boys,’ an idealistic black teen learns a harsh reality," 9 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'naivete.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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