Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While the best actress award has often gone to ingénues, the best actor award has rarely gone to men below the age of 40.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

“I had my 36th birthday on ‘King Kong’ — I was still playing ingénues.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2025

Ms. Hunt said she begged studio executives to end her run of dewy-eyed coeds and romance-minded ingénues and give her a better range of parts, even if it meant a drop from marquee billing.

From Washington Post • Sep. 10, 2022

They stood in stark contrast to the ingénues and highly feminine characters girls and women were often restricted to.

From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2020

She stood before the screen, certain she could practically smell the restaurant, the heavy perfumes of a room full of divas and ingénues.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny