adj

gullible

GUH-lihbl

Gullible (adj) means Easily fooled, deceived, or persuaded to believe something untrue. Example: “He's gullible enough to believe almost any excuse.”

adj

Easily fooled, deceived, or persuaded to believe something untrue.

"He's gullible enough to believe almost any excuse."

"The scam relied on gullible investors who never checked the numbers."

How to use gullible

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishToo trusting — easily tricked or convinced of things that aren't true.

Common mistake

A well-known joke defines "gullible" as "not in the dictionary" — it is, in fact, a real word.

Easily confused with

credulous →

Common pairings

gullible enough to gullible public naive and gullible

Word forms

more gullible comparative, gullibles plural, most gullible superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “gullible” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He's _____ enough to believe almost any excuse.

Etymology

Likely from "gull" ("to trick, dupe") plus the adjective suffix "-ible."

Rhymes for gullible

Bible edible legible visible audible fungible feasible tangible possible flexible sensible terrible

See all rhymes for gullible →

Frequently asked questions

What does “gullible” mean?

The word “gullible” means easily fooled, deceived, or persuaded to believe something untrue. In plain terms, too trusting — easily tricked or convinced of things that aren't true.

How do you pronounce “gullible”?

“Gullible” is pronounced GUH-lihbl (/ˈɡʌlɪbl̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “gullible” in a sentence?

Here is “gullible” used in a sentence: “He's gullible enough to believe almost any excuse.”

What part of speech is “gullible”?

“Gullible” is an adjective.