naivety

American  

[nah-eev-tee, -ee-vuh-] / nɑˈiv ti, -ˈi və- /

Or naïvety

noun

plural

naiveties

1. naiveté.

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naivety British  

/ ˌnaɪiːvˈteɪ, naɪˈiːvtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being naive; ingenuousness; simplicity

2. a naive act or statement

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Explanation

Naivety refers to a lack of experience or sophistication. That taxi driver who charged your Aunt Fay $75 for the ride from the airport was taking advantage of her naivety — your aunt didn’t know it should only cost $50. The noun naivety often refers to the kind of inexperience that allows you to be tricked, but it can also refer to a trusting innocent or a lack of sophistication. For example, if you think you can treat your boss’s daughter like any other employee and just say whatever you want when you have lunch, you may be exhibiting naivety — she may tell your boss what you said.

Example Sentences

"I gave $38 million essentially for nothing, which they used to build a company worth $800 billion. I was literally an idiot," he said, blaming his own naivety.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

That isn’t naivety or disloyalty to any American vision of a new world order.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Labour's Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, who was interviewed on the same programme, said Lord Mandelson had shown "at best, deep naivety" in his remarks.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026

Barely ten days later, Pelley’s words now ring with a tragic, hollow naivety.

From Salon • Dec. 22, 2025

I thought it necessary to update some of the words so that the religiosity and naivety of the time, which were genuine, would not seem too quaint to the modem ear.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara