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naivety

Other forms: naiveties

Naivety refers to a lack of experience or sophistication. That taxi driver who charged your Aunt Fay $75 for the ride from the airport was taking advantage of her naivety — your aunt didn’t know it should only cost $50.

The noun naivety often refers to the kind of inexperience that allows you to be tricked, but it can also refer to a trusting innocent or a lack of sophistication. For example, if you think you can treat your boss’s daughter like any other employee and just say whatever you want when you have lunch, you may be exhibiting naivety — she may tell your boss what you said.

Definitions of naivety
  1. noun
    lack of sophistication or worldliness
    synonyms: naiveness, naivete
    see moresee less
    types:
    artlessness, ingenuousness, innocence, naturalness
    the quality of innocent naivete
    credulousness, gullibility
    tendency to believe too readily and therefore to be easily deceived
    simple mindedness, simpleness, simplicity
    a lack of penetration or subtlety
    innocency
    an innocent quality or thing or act
    type of:
    quality
    an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘naivety'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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