childlike
Pure and trusting
Childlike describes qualities associated with children in a positive or neutral sense—innocence, wonder, openness, or simplicity: She retained a childlike curiosity about the world.
Unlike childish, which implies immaturity or pettiness, childlike carries no negative judgment.
A childlike quality in adults often suggests freshness of perception or unspoiled enthusiasm.
Free from deceit
- artlessLacking deceit or cunning
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
- pure-heartedSincerely good-natured
open-hearted · trusting · sincere · transparent · genuine · wholesome · angelic · unblemished
Showing naive amazement
- curiousEager to learn
- awestruckOvercome by profound wonder
- amazedOverwhelmed by sudden wonder
- marvelingFeeling astonished admiration
enchanted · fascinated · imaginative · dreamy · magical · fantastical · starry-eyed · spellbound
Inclined to merriment
- gigglyProne to tittering
- mischievousPlayfully causing trouble
- impishPlayfully mischievous in manner
- anticLudicrous or playful act
romping · gleeful · carefree · whimsical · spirited · exuberant · bouncy · energetic
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- impressionableEasily influenced or affected
- inexperiencedLacking practical knowledge
unworldly · green · callow · sheltered · unaware · uninformed · easily-led · suggestible
Disposed to believe others
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
- believingAccepting as true
- unquestioningAccepting without challenge
- acceptingWilling to receive
confiding · reliant · secure · dependent · loyal · devoted · clinging · attached
Easy to understand
- straightforwardClear and uncomplicated
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
- unpretentiousLacking false superiority
- basicFundamental in nature
plain · unadorned · direct · honest · frank · candid · literal · unsubtle
guileless
Free from deceit
- artlessLacking deceit or cunning
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
pure-hearted · open-hearted · trusting · sincere · transparent · genuine · wholesome · angelic · unblemished · unspoiled
wide-eyed
Showing naive amazement
marveling · enchanted · fascinated · imaginative · dreamy · magical · fantastical · starry-eyed · spellbound · captivated
frolicsome
Inclined to merriment
- gigglyProne to tittering
- mischievousPlayfully causing trouble
- impishPlayfully mischievous in manner
antic · romping · gleeful · carefree · whimsical · spirited · exuberant · bouncy · energetic · jolly
gullible
Easily deceived
- credulousProne to blind trust
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- impressionableEasily influenced or affected
inexperienced · unworldly · green · callow · sheltered · unaware · uninformed · easily-led · suggestible · unguarded
trustful
Disposed to believe others
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
- believingAccepting as true
- unquestioningAccepting without challenge
accepting · confiding · reliant · secure · dependent · loyal · devoted · clinging · attached · open
uncomplicated
Easy to understand
- straightforwardClear and uncomplicated
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
- unpretentiousLacking false superiority
basic · plain · unadorned · direct · honest · frank · candid · literal · unsubtle · black-and-white
- whimsicalwhimsical, whimsy, fanciful, playful, quirky
- age descriptorsaged, elderly, old, young, youthful
- age termsyoung, old, older, younger, youngest
- innocenceinnocent, innocence, purity, pure, blameless
- youthfulyoung, youthful, juvenile, teenage, adolescent
- naivetenaivety, naive, innocence, gullible, gullibility
childlikecynical
Doubting human goodness
jaded · suspicious · distrustful · untrusting · world-weary
childlikecomplicated
Difficult to understand
complex · sophisticated · worldly · cunning · shrewd
- childlike wonderUnspoiled capacity for awe
- childlike faithBelief uncomplicated by skepticism