naive synonyms

naive

modif.

ingenuous, artless, unsophisticated, unaffected, innocent, simple, inexperienced, untrained, countrified, callow, jejune, naïf (French), natural, unschooled, ignorant, untaught, provincial, unworldly, guileless, spontaneous, instinctive, impulsive, simple-minded, innocuous, unsuspecting, harmless, confiding, childlike, gullible, credulous, trusting, fresh, unjaded, original, rustic, boorish, unpolished, primitive, sincere, unfeigned, open, candid, forthright, aboveboard, romantic, fanciful, unpretentious, transparent, unsuspicious, straightforward, uncomplicated, easily imposed upon, green*; see also childish 1, frank, inexperienced, simple 1.

Antonyms experienced*, sophisticated*, artful.

naive implies a genuine, innocent simplicity or lack of artificiality, but sometimes connotes an almost foolish lack of worldly wisdom his naive belief in the kindness of others; ingenuous implies a frankness or straightforwardness that suggests the simplicity of a child her ingenuous confession of her real motives; artless suggests a lack of artificiality or guile that derives from indifference to the effect one has upon others artless beauty; unsophisticated, like naive, implies a lack of worldly wisdom but connotes that this is the result merely of a lack of experience simple, unsophisticated tastes

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.