naifs
Lambs among wolves
Naifs are people who are inexperienced, unsophisticated, or lacking worldly wisdom—the plural of naif.
The term carries less condescension than calling someone naive outright; it often suggests an innocence that may be genuine or even charming rather than simply foolish.
The gallery opening attracted both seasoned collectors and wide-eyed naifs.
In art contexts, naifs may also refer to artists who work in a deliberately simple, untrained style.
Artless young female roles
- babesVery young children
- innocentsBlameless individuals
- lambsYoung of sheep
- cherubsWinged infant figures
wide-eyed · unspoiled · untainted · uncorrupted · simpletons
Lacking refinement or complexity
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
- unpretentiousLacking false superiority
- naturalNot artificially produced
sincere · guileless · simple · open · candid · unassuming · unstudied · genuine
Prone to blind trust
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- dupedDeceived into believing
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- hoodwinkedTricked into believing falsely
swindled · misled · exploited · conned · fooled · tricked · bamboozled · taken
Those newly learning
- novicesInexperienced newcomers
- rookiesInexperienced beginners in profession
- greenhornsInexperienced beginners
- neophytesInexperienced newcomers
tyros · fledglings · newbies · amateurs · apprentices · tenderfeet · newcomers · uninitiated
ingénues
Artless young female roles
cherubs · wide-eyed · unspoiled · untainted · uncorrupted · simpletons
unsophisticated
Lacking refinement or complexity
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
- unaffectedNot changed or influenced
- unpretentiousLacking false superiority
natural · sincere · guileless · simple · open · candid · unassuming · unstudied · genuine · unpolished
credulous
Prone to blind trust
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- dupedDeceived into believing
- deceivedMisled into false belief
hoodwinked · swindled · misled · exploited · conned · fooled · tricked · bamboozled · taken · overtrusting
beginners
Those newly learning
- novicesInexperienced newcomers
- rookiesInexperienced beginners in profession
- greenhornsInexperienced beginners
neophytes · tyros · fledglings · newbies · amateurs · apprentices · tenderfeet · newcomers · uninitiated · freshmen
naifscosmopolitans
Worldly, well-traveled people
men of the world · sophisticates · women of the world · savants · cognoscenti
naifsskeptics
Those who doubt claims
cynics · doubters · questioners · critical thinkers · doubting Thomases
naifsschemers
Crafty plot makers
manipulators · con artists · grifters · Machiavellians · operators
- naive artUntrained, childlike creative work