guileless

[gahyl-lis]

adjective

1. free from deception or slyness; sincere and straightforward.

   No matter the situation, she was always transparent, guileless, and above any petty manipulative ploys.

2. lacking awareness of the world and worldly things; innocent or naive.

   He agreed to this crafty proposal, being guileless, and soon found himself betrayed and in trouble.

ˈguileless

/ ˈɡaɪllɪs /

adjective

1. free from guile; ingenuous

Other Word Forms

• guilelessly adverb
• guilelessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of guileless¹

First recorded in 1720–30; guile + -less

Example Sentences

“He’s not like a real African,” Bobo explains, a guileless child repeating the adults she’s overheard.

From Los Angeles Times

This guileless 17-year-old, Chicano kid from Pacoima found a way to introduce himself to America by taking something familiar and making it feel like nothing you had heard before.

From Los Angeles Times

"Having spent so much time with him, my perception is that he's completely guileless. He has a lot of warmth and innocence, so I wanted to show that."

From BBC

She speaks in sophisticated sentences that seem beyond her years and comes across in conversation as utterly guileless — but clearly determined.

From Los Angeles Times

She is a fierce political operative, a guileless influencer and a relentless voice against the far right in this Christian, white, cattle-talking town of about 12,600.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• unsophisticated