ingenuous
1 of 2adjective (1)
Christopher Rawsoningenuous
2 of 2adjective (2)
Did you know?
Ingenuous is most often used to describe someone who has a childlike innocence and openness. It should not be confused with ingenious, which typically describes someone who is unusually inventive or clever, or something made or done in an especially original or clever way. The words look very much alike, but sound different: remember that ingenuous sounds like its linguistic relation genuine, while ingenious sounds like genius—despite the fact that there is no etymological connection between those two. For more on this pair, read on.
Synonyms
Adjective (1)
- artless
- genuine
- guileless
- honest
- innocent
- naive
- naïve
- natural
- real
- simple
- sincere
- true
- unaffected
- unpretending
- unpretentious
Word History
Adjective (1)
Latin ingenuus native, freeborn, from in- + gignere to beget — more at kin
Adjective (2)
by alteration
Adjective (1)
1588, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Adjective (2)
1588, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
ingenuous
adjective
ingenuous
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- genuine
- unaffected
- honest
- simple
- innocent
- naive
- true
- guileless
- sincere
- artless
- spontaneous
- unpretending
- inexperienced
- straightforward
- real
- unpretentious
- naïve
- natural
- childlike
- unsophisticated
- candid
- unworldly
- impressionable
- frank
- simpleminded
- malleable
- unstudied
- trustful
- unforced
- openhearted
- plainspoken
- on the level
- persuadable
- wide-eyed
- plain
- open
- unguarded
- trusting
- direct
- gullible
- dewy-eyed
- persuasible
- gee-whiz
- free-spoken
- free
- single-minded
- exploitable
- susceptible
- unwary
- straight
- gullable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cynical
- artful
- dishonest
- false
- artificial
- insincere
- critical
- pretentious
- sophisticated
- skeptical
- assuming
- suspicious
- phony
- fake
- wary
- worldly
- affected
- mistrustful
- guileful
- phoney
- cosmopolitan
- shrewd
- deceptive
- dissembling
- devious
- cunning
- deceitful
- civilized
- hypocritical
- manipulative
- sly
- polished
- refined
- cultured
- dissimulating
- subtle
- wily
- cultivated
- worldly-wise
- crooked
- crafty
- underhanded
- shifty
- slick
- sharp
- smooth
- tricky
- slippery
- scheming
- unctuous
- foxy
- flattering
- calculating
- designing
- sycophantic
- feigned
- knavish
- canny
- arch
- two-faced
- double-dealing
- strained
- forced
- mealymouthed
Synonyms & Similar Words
- naive
- innocent
- simple
- unsophisticated
- inexperienced
- primitive
- immature
- unsuspicious
- unworldly
- uncritical
- naïve
- simpleminded
- childish
- naif
- naïf
- unsuspecting
- dewy
- unknowing
- wide-eyed
- aw-shucks
- childlike
- trustful
- unwary
- dewy-eyed
- green
- idealistic
- credulous
- trusting
- callow
- careless
- gullible
- impractical
- thoughtless
- believing
- unrealistic
- unguarded
- beguiled
- gulled
- susceptible
- heedless
- raw
- duped
- tricked
- gullable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sophisticated
- cynical
- worldly
- incredulous
- cosmopolitan
- experienced
- skeptical
- critical
- suspicious
- knowing
- careful
- cautious
- worldly-wise
- unconvinced
- watchful
- pragmatic
- doubting
- wary
- pragmatical
- realistic
- guarded
- leery
- hardheaded
- sober
- suspecting
- leary
- down-to-earth
- streetwise
- street-smart
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ingenuous are artless, naive, natural, and unsophisticated. While all these words mean "free from pretension or calculation," ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions.
In some situations, the words artless and ingenuous are roughly equivalent. However, artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others.
Although the words naive and ingenuous have much in common, naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence.
The meanings of natural and ingenuous largely overlap; however, natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world.
While in some cases nearly identical to ingenuous, unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness.