Word
naively
Phoneticsnaive·ly
US/nɑˈivɫi/
UK/naɪˈiːvli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. to do something in a way that shows you have too much trust in people or lack experience. You act this way when you do not realize that a situation might be dangerous or complicated.
adv. in a manner showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement. Often describes an action taken with an overly optimistic or simplistic view of a complex situation.
Examples
“He naively believed that everyone would tell him the truth.”
“She naively signed the contract without reading the fine print, assuming the company had her best interests in mind.”
“The young diplomat naively assumed that a simple handshake would resolve decades of territorial disputes, failing to account for the deep-seated historical grievances involved.”
Examples
simple
“He naively believed that everyone would tell him the truth.”
contextual
“She naively signed the contract without reading the fine print, assuming the company had her best interests in mind.”
complex
“The young diplomat naively assumed that a simple handshake would resolve decades of territorial disputes, failing to account for the deep-seated historical grievances involved.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “naively” in context.
Verb
01. act naively
“The young diplomat acted naively during the first round of negotiations.”
verb + adv
02. assume naively
“I assumed naively that everyone in the group shared the same goals.”
verb + adv
03. believe naively
“He believed naively that the company would protect his interests without a contract.”
verb + adv
04. hope naively
“They hoped naively for a quick resolution to the complex legal dispute.”
verb + adv
05. trust naively
“She trusted naively in his promises to pay back the loan immediately.”
verb + adv
06. behave somewhat naively
“The administration behaved somewhat naively when dealing with the crisis.”
07. naively expect that
“Investors naively expected that the high returns would continue forever.”
08. naively think that
“I naively thought that moving to a new city would solve all my problems.”
Usage
Typically modifies verbs related to belief, expectation, or action; can also function as a sentence adverb to comment on the speaker's own past lack of judgement.
Real-World Examples
“The frictionless user experience is why we unthinkingly offload ever more information and work to our digital devices; it’s why we naively trust that the algorithms will sort it all out for us.” “Where most MBA programs and career counselors would teach you to stick to your competencies, hundreds of founders have built remarkable businesses by doing the exact opposite, jumping in the deep end without checking for floaties in pursuit of a problem they don’t yet know how to solve but naively refuse to ignore.” “I’d used the app in the way I do most of the technology in my life: not quite knowing how it works, naively assuming that it did.” “Having so much information at our fingertips is useful but seductive, easily fooling us into thinking we know more than we naively do.” Etymology
From naive + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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