guileless

adjective

guile·​less ˈgī(-ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
Synonyms of guileless
: innocent, naive
a straightforward man with a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

Synonyms of guileless

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Examples of guileless in a Sentence

she was an easygoing, guileless young woman who was comfortable just being herself
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The child is as smart and cunning as Dunk is thick and guileless. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026 Ardies plays Hulda, a guileless girl, full of excitement at the prospect of womanhood. — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025 But her star rose and that joyful, beautiful, rather guileless young woman trying to stay cool in a hot city summer lives forever. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 1 June 2026 And yet the track that perhaps best represents Orange’s guileless spirit is the one tune here Presley didn’t write. — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guileless

Word History

Etymology

see guile

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guileless was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

guilefulness
guileless
guilery
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guileless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guileless. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

guileless

adjective
guile·​less ˈgī(ə)l-ləs How to pronounce guileless (audio)
: not sly or tricky : innocent, naïve
a guileless person
a guileless smile
guilelessly adverb
guilelessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on guileless

Nglish: Translation of guileless for Spanish Speakers

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