naively
Like a child believes
Naively means in a manner showing inexperience, innocent trust, or lack of sophistication.
Someone who naively believes a scammer's promises fails to recognize obvious warning signs.
The word often implies criticism—that the person should have known better: I naively assumed everyone would play fair.
It can also suggest charming simplicity: She naively asked why people couldn't just get along.
With foolish trust
- credulouslyWith excessive trustfulness
- trustinglyWith naive belief
- unsuspectinglyWithout anticipating trouble
- unwarilyWithout due caution
unquestioningly · uncritically · confiding · impressionably · unsuspiciously · open-heartedly · faithfully · innocently
Without intent to harm
- artlesslyWithout cunning or pretense
- guilelesslyWithout sly intent
- ingenuouslyWith innocent openness
- simplyIn plain terms
purely · childishly · wide-eyed · unsophisticatedly · unworldly · greenly · freshly · inexpertly
In an oversimplified manner
- reductivelyIn oversimplified manner
- superficiallyAt surface level only
- uncriticallyWithout analysis or judgment
- unsophisticatedlyWithout worldly experience
crudely · basically · elementarily · primitively · unthinkingly · shallowly · glibly · facilely
With naive hopefulness
- optimisticallyWith positive expectations
- hopefullyWith optimistic expectation
- romanticallyIn amorous fashion
- quixoticallyIn unrealistically idealistic manner
unrealistically · impractically · starry-eyed · dreamily · sanguinely · wishfully · fancifully · aspirationally
gullibly
With foolish trust
- credulouslyWith excessive trustfulness
- trustinglyWith naive belief
- unsuspectinglyWithout anticipating trouble
unwarily · unquestioningly · uncritically · confiding · impressionably · unsuspiciously · open-heartedly · faithfully · innocently · ingenuously
innocently
Without intent to harm
- artlesslyWithout cunning or pretense
- guilelesslyWithout sly intent
- ingenuouslyWith innocent openness
simply · purely · childishly · wide-eyed · unsophisticatedly · unworldly · greenly · freshly · inexpertly · amateurishly
simplistically
In an oversimplified manner
- reductivelyIn oversimplified manner
- superficiallyAt surface level only
- uncriticallyWithout analysis or judgment
unsophisticatedly · crudely · basically · elementarily · primitively · unthinkingly · shallowly · glibly · facilely · carelessly
idealistically
With naive hopefulness
- optimisticallyWith positive expectations
- hopefullyWith optimistic expectation
- romanticallyIn amorous fashion
quixotically · unrealistically · impractically · starry-eyed · dreamily · sanguinely · wishfully · fancifully · aspirationally
naivelyshrewdly
With keen discernment
astutely · cunningly · calculatingly · cannily · craftily
naivelyknowingly
With deliberate awareness
deliberately · consciously · wittingly · advisedly · lucidly
- naive artUntrained, childlike creative work