credulous

adjective

Definition of credulousnext
as in naive
too willing to believe things without substantial proof Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense. a credulous audience

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of credulous Room for Disagreement My colleague (OK, editor) Laura McGann notes that US coverage of the Iran war has been less credulous of the official government line. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 June 2026 The plot involving Alison’s residency at an elite scholarly retreat is a bit less compelling, perhaps because Alison can seem a bit credulous. — Elizabeth Toohey, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2026 That act of imagination—that force of creative will, directed upon one’s own inner vision—is far more interesting to me than either a purely functionalist understanding of flight or a purely credulous one. — Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026 The dissenting conservatives—Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito—who were sympathetic to major questions in its prior applications are more credulous this time. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for credulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for credulous
  1. naive
  2. gullible
  3. innocent
Adjective
  • And how naive of me to believe that language could transcend grief.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone thinks their kids’ slang is ridiculous and their parents’ politics naive.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • A lot of it is about a more innocent time and that people were gullible.
    — Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Eleven gullible idiots were talked into acquitting because of an imaginary female ailment.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of gullible
Adjective
  • The charges are allegations, and each person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocent

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credulously
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Cite this Entry

“Credulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/credulous. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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