variants
or naif
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or naif
as in virgin
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of naïf
Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Most illustrators play up the coziness of the tale, what with children all snug in their beds dreaming of sugarplums and suchlike, but the friendly lines and marzipan colors of Ms. Beech’s naif illustrations take coziness to a new level.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Noun
Glusman is perfectly fine, but the writing leaves this figure too much of a naif to seem threatening or to be credible when Elliot somehow circumvents Sophie’s protective barriers.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 3 July 2025
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Angourie Rice plays our ostensible heroine Cady Heron as more of an earnest naif.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naïf
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
-
Not the naive version attempted in 2016.—
Emin Gün Sirer,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The 41-year-old virgin 💌 Amanda McCracken dated throughout her 20s and 30s, with her share of situationships, one-off dates and flings.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
At the time, her storyline included opening up to then-lead Farmer Chris about being a virgin.—
Sarah Hearon,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fountains and green spaces give kids room to burn off energy, and public art adds interest for all ages.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The country is launching a blue economy blueprint to harmonize policies toward aquaculture, renewable ocean energy, green shipping, and ecotourism.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Practically as soon as the #MeToo movement began, it was accused of going too far—sweeping up innocents in its wake, failing to allow its targets due process.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
-
How much more dangerous could a regime become than one willing to murder innocents, during peacetime, 8,500 miles away?—
Katherine Ellison,
Washington Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe the bright lights of a win-or-go-home playoff game proved too big of a moment for a young, inexperienced Hawks team.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Edmonton showed off its postseason poise in Game 5, throttling the Ducks in a 4-1 victory and putting the onus on their inexperienced opponents to finish off the series.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown suffered injuries that sidelined them in Pittsburgh, forcing greenhorns Ryan Vandemark and Alec Anderson into service against T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Finally, and very importantly for the greenhorns among us: What’s your tip for getting rid of soreness after a ride?—
Samantha Dunn,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His brother, a former finance executive, is handling the business side of the fledgling operation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
How Swift has anything to do with this windfall is a bit complicated, and goes all the way back to the major record labels’ original licensing agreements with Spotify from the late 2000s, which got the companies stock in the then-fledgling streaming service.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At one point, the Phantom and Christine, the ingenue and the object of his obsession, glide toward you in a gondola, crossing an underground lake.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Most of its 40-second runtime is taken up by Emma Corrin as the rebellious ingenue Elizabeth Bennet sitting on a rooftop in a sensible day dress, staring wistfully toward the horizon.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Naïf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/na%C3%AFf. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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