as in naive
too willing to believe things without substantial proof
Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. a credulous audience
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Recent Examples of credulous
The government’s offers of dialogue with the protesters ring hollow as it is meant as a pressure valve internationally—for credulous Westerners who believe Iran’s political system is capable of reform—and domestically.
—
Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
On Ukraine, the new strategy does little more than make assertions, many of them too sanguine about what the country needs to survive and too credulous about Russia’s potential to serve as a constructive regional actor.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Guy seems pretty credulous here, especially after Doris tells him, finally, about the fate of poor Soledad.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
On Ukraine, the new strategy does little more than make assertions, many of them too sanguine about what the country needs to survive and too credulous about Russia’s potential to serve as a constructive regional actor.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Guy seems pretty credulous here, especially after Doris tells him, finally, about the fate of poor Soledad.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
But like populism’s critique of insider politics, the outsider critique of the medical establishment has always struggled to offer an alternative vision that’s rigorous rather than credulous.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for credulous
Adjective
-
When a naïve piglet named Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo) rises to farmhouse leadership alongside the cunning boar Napoleon (Seth Rogen), the revolution sparked by their human farmer’s bankruptcy in the film‘s first act takes a turn for the fascist worse.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
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Not the naive version attempted in 2016.—
Emin Gün Sirer,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
More like a memo from the dictator, telling gullible loyalists what to think.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
No Muscovite would be so gullible as to assume the government was on their side.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Abe told a judge at an April 27 proceeding that Allen has no prior arrests or convictions and is presumed innocent under the law.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Same goes for the three separate books that were pitched to me at the same time by the same publisher, all themed around why OJ Simpson is innocent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Only this week, Conway doubled down with a stunt in front of Mfume’s district office, an act that would be immature and juvenile in an elementary school student government election, let alone a campaign for Congress.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
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Faced with the prospect of deciding between Urlacher, a late bloomer in high school who almost wasn’t recruited before becoming a college All-American, and Michigan State receiver Plaxico Burress, regarded throughout the NFL as gifted but immature, the Bears did not have to choose.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Credulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/credulous. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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