naivety
/naɪˈiːvəti/ (bre, ipa) · /naɪˈiːvəti/ (ame, ipa) · /nä-ˈē-və-tē -ˈēv-tē, nī-/ (ame, mw)
naivety — noun
1. the tendency to trust people or believe things too easily because you have not h
the tendency to trust people or believe things too easily because you have not had enough experience of life or of a particular situation
Devika later regretted the naivety that led her to lend money to a stranger online.
naivety + that-clause introducing the trusting behaviour
Liam handed over his bank details with a naivety that shocked his older sister.
naivety + that-clause showing consequence
The young reporter showed real naivety about how local politicians actually run the city.
Folake was charmed at first by Eli's naivety in believing every promise the salesman made.
It took only one bad deal for Jason to lose the naivety he had brought from his small hometown.
- credulity
more formal; emphasises willingness to believe rather than lack of experience
- gullibility
stronger and more critical; suggests being easily fooled
- innocence
warmer; can be admired, while naivety usually hints at a problem
- cynicism
distrust of others' motives
- worldliness
experience of how life actually works
文法句型
naivety about [topic]
naivety in [doing sth]
用法筆記
Often used with a slightly critical or pitying tone — the speaker sees the trust as misplaced. Frequently followed by 'about [a topic]' or 'in [doing sth]'.
常見錯誤
2. a simple, innocent quality in someone's character or manner, with no sign of cle
a simple, innocent quality in someone's character or manner, with no sign of cleverness, cunning, or worldly knowledge
The painting captured the naivety of village children playing in a muddy yard after the rain.
collocation: the naivety of [people / behaviour]
Noor wrote her first short stories with a charming naivety that critics later praised.
collocation: a charming/touching naivety
There is a real naivety in Lan's drawings — bright colours, big smiles, and almost no shadows.
Lucía missed the easy naivety of her old neighbourhood after moving to the busy capital.
Quan answered the journalist's tricky question with a naivety that disarmed everyone in the room.
- innocence
very close in meaning; slightly warmer and more common
- artlessness
more formal; stresses the absence of clever technique
- simplicity
broader; can describe objects and ideas as well as people
- sophistication
polished, worldly style
- cunning
clever, often hidden, motives
文法句型
[a/the] naivety of [sth/sb]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense often sounds positive or affectionate (a fresh, child-like quality), while sense 1 stresses risky misplaced trust. Common in writing about art, children, or rural life.