naive

adjective

na·ive | \ nä-ˈēv

, nī-\

variants: or naïve

naiver; naivest

Definition of naive

1 : marked by unaffected simplicity : artless, ingenuous the experienced man speaks simply and wisely to the naive girl— Gilbert Highet

2a : deficient in worldly wisdom or informed judgment their naive ignorance of life … when they were first married— Arnold Bennett especially : credulous … tells tall tales of the West to tweak naïve city slickers. — Miriam Horn

b : not previously subjected to experimentation or a particular experimental situation made the test with naive rats also : not having previously used a particular drug (such as marijuana)

c : not having been exposed previously to an antigen naive T cells

3a : self-taught, primitive

b : produced by or as if by a self-taught artist naive murals

Other Words from naive Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about naive

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Choose the Right Synonym for naive

natural, ingenuous, naive, unsophisticated, artless mean free from pretension or calculation. natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world. her unaffected, natural manner ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions. the ingenuous enthusiasm of children naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence. politically naive unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness. unsophisticated adolescents artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others. artless charm

Examples of naive in a Sentence

Secularism requires a commitment to civil liberty, which rests partly on respect for civil disobedience—peaceful acts of conscience that challenge rules of law. If civil libertarianism is naïve, then so is the hope of secular government. — Wendy Kaminer, Free Inquiry, December 2008/January 2009 He exhibits a naïve sort of confidence when talking about the doubts surrounding him and the perceived slights in the draft run-up. — Peter King, Sports Illustrated, 1 May 2006

Recent Examples on the Web

These are much better than the Trafalgar Square lions; those are naive. — Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, "Is a giant lion statue being stored under a D.C. tunnel? I decided to find out.," 31 Aug. 2019 The writer, who previously co-authored the Tiny Pretty Things series, distinctly captures a youthful and naive voice with astuteness woven in. — Caroline Tew, EW.com, "EW talks YA: One of our favorite teen tales of the year takes July's top spot," 2 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'naive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for naive

naive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of naive

: having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge : innocent or simple

See the full definition for naive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

naive

adjective

naive

Definition of naive

Other Words from naive

Synonyms & Antonyms for naive

Choose the Right Synonym for naive

Examples of naive in a Sentence

First Known Use of naive

History and Etymology for naive

English Language Learners Definition of naive

naive

Definition of naive

Other Words from naive

Synonyms & Antonyms for naive

Choose the Right Synonym for naive

Examples of naive in a Sentence

First Known Use of naive

History and Etymology for naive

English Language Learners Definition of naive

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