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childlike Definition

child·like (c̸hīldlīk′)

adjective

  1. belonging or suitable to a child
  2. like or characteristic of a child; innocent, trusting, etc.

childlike Related Forms
child·like′·ness noun
childlike Synonyms

childlike

modif.

unaffected, innocent, childish, ingenuous; see naive, natural 3. See syn. study at childish.

childlike Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • innocence: All the fun of the fair, with non of the childlike innocence.
  • simplicity: Talk about come-ons from Iowa or Texas they ain't in it with the childlike simplicity of these papers.
  • wonder: They seem to retain their childlike wonder at the world around them.
  • enthusiasm: A certain childlike enthusiasm is needed to drive the work forward.
  • delight: They took an almost childlike delight in being naughty, I can't tell you to what level some of the dialog role-plays disintegrated.
  • joy: There was a childlike joy and tenderness in him that is only seen in great souls shortly before their return home.

Modifying Another Word

  • almost: Florence's vocals are, in places, almost childlike.
  • rather: Possibly this is why in middle age she's rather childlike.
  • very: Telling people to ' Get a life ' among other things is a very childlike thing to do.
  • so: Stumbling humor but so childlike with it people let him carry on.
  • too: His vocal performance is also first rate, breathing life into Sonny but never making him too childlike or annoying.
  • genuinely: Rob and I now became quite genuinely childlike and demanded more rides quickly.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: But when causes are alluded to the explanation seems childlike.
  • become: You may have flashbacks of stressful memories and you may become almost childlike in accepting ideas or suggestions about yourself.
childlike Quotes

   Writers who drew, they all seemed to draw the same way. They managed to keep that childlike creativity in their line.

—Hirschfeld, Al