C2adjectiveformalpsychologyrelationships
US/ɪnˈdʒen.ju.əs/
UK/ɪnˈdʒen.ju.əs/
honest and innocent, trusting people because you do not expect them to lie
In context
Her ingenuous smile made everyone in the room trust her at once.
It was ingenuous of him to believe the salesman's promises.
The young teacher had an ingenuous way of asking difficult questions.
Words that go with ingenuous
adjective + noun
- ingenuous smileThe child gave an ingenuous smile.
- ingenuous charmHis ingenuous charm won over the audience.
- ingenuous young manHe was an ingenuous young man from the countryside.
- ingenuous questionShe asked an ingenuous question that surprised the experts.
- ingenuous mannerHer ingenuous manner made her easy to like.
adverb + adjective
- almost ingenuousHis honesty was almost ingenuous.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
an ingenuous solutionCorrect: an ingenious solution