credulous
Quick to swallow
Credulous describes someone too ready to believe things, especially without good evidence.
A credulous person falls for scams, accepts tall tales, and takes claims at face value: He was credulous enough to believe the email promising millions from a Nigerian prince.
The word carries mild criticism—suggesting naivety rather than stupidity.
The related noun is credulity.
Disposed to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- unguardedWithout protection or caution
- confidingSharing secrets trustingly
- believingAccepting as true
faith · open-hearted · accepting · unsuspicious · unwary · incautious · overtrusting · undefended
Free from moral wrong
- childlikeHaving youthful innocence
- unworldlyLacking practical awareness
- unsophisticatedLacking refinement or complexity
- greenColor of vegetation
inexperienced · guileless · artless · simple · wide-eyed · starry-eyed · wet-behind-the-ears · callow
Deceived into believing
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- swindledDeceived for gain
- hoodwinkedTricked into believing falsely
- connedDeceived for gain
bamboozled · misled · fooled · tricked · defrauded · exploited · victimized · sucker
Accepting without challenge
- acceptingWilling to receive
- uncriticalLacking discerning judgment
- persuadableAble to be convinced
- receptiveOpen to input
impressionable · suggestible · malleable · pliable · swayable · easily-led · amenable · compliant
trustful
Disposed to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- unguardedWithout protection or caution
- confidingSharing secrets trustingly
believing · faith · open-hearted · accepting · unsuspicious · unwary · incautious · overtrusting · undefended · vulnerable
innocent
Free from moral wrong
- childlikeHaving youthful innocence
- unworldlyLacking practical awareness
- unsophisticatedLacking refinement or complexity
green · inexperienced · guileless · artless · simple · wide-eyed · starry-eyed · wet-behind-the-ears · callow · jejune
duped
Deceived into believing
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- swindledDeceived for gain
- hoodwinkedTricked into believing falsely
conned · bamboozled · misled · fooled · tricked · defrauded · exploited · victimized · sucker · patsy
unquestioning
Accepting without challenge
- acceptingWilling to receive
- uncriticalLacking discerning judgment
- persuadableAble to be convinced
receptive · impressionable · suggestible · malleable · pliable · swayable · easily-led · amenable · compliant · acquiescent
- trusting traitsnaive, gullible, trustful, confiding, guileless
- naivetenaivety, naive, innocence, gullible, gullibility
- certaintycertain, sure, uncertain, unsure, definite
- foolishfoolish, stupid, dumb, brainless, witless
- innocenceinnocent, innocence, purity, pure, blameless
- mindlessbrainless, mindless, witless, senseless, unthinking
credulousskeptical
Inclined to question claims
incredulous · sceptical · suspicious · distrustful · disbelieving
credulousdiscerning
Having keen judgment
critical · shrewd · astute · perceptive · discriminating