adjective
C2
Proficient
ingenuous
in-JEN-yoo-uhs
Ingenuous (adjective) means Innocent and trusting to the point of seeming naive, particularly about people's motives. Example: “It was ingenuous of him to hand over the deposit without a contract.”
adjective
1
Innocent and trusting to the point of seeming naive, particularly about people's motives.
"It was ingenuous of him to hand over the deposit without a contract."
"She asked, with an ingenuous smile, whether the job came with a company car."
2
Open and sincere, saying what you actually think without calculation.
"His answer was ingenuous, and all the more damaging for it."
How to use ingenuous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTrusting and honest in a way that can leave you open to being tricked.
When to use it
Formal and literary; the negative form disingenuous is now heard far more often.
Memory tip
Link ingenuous to ingénue, the innocent young woman of the theatre, and ingenious to engine and engineer.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
ingenuous smile
seemingly ingenuous
ingenuous young man
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It was _____ of him to hand over the deposit without a contract.
Etymology
From Latin ingenuus, meaning native-born or free-born, and hence noble or frank in character.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for ingenuous
See all rhymes for ingenuous →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ingenuous and ingenious?
Ingenuous means innocent, trusting and unguarded. Ingenious means clever and inventive. They differ by one letter and are unrelated in meaning, so an ingenious plan is a smart one while an ingenuous plan barely makes sense as a phrase.
Is disingenuous the opposite of ingenuous?
Yes, and it is now far more common than the positive form. Disingenuous means pretending to be sincere or naive while actually knowing better, so it is not simply the absence of ingenuousness but a deliberate performance of it.
Is calling someone ingenuous a compliment?
It depends on the sense. Praising someone's ingenuous honesty is warm; calling them ingenuous about a business deal implies they were easily taken in.
What is the meaning of ingenuous?
"ingenuous" (adjective) means innocent and trusting to the point of seeming naive, particularly about people's motives.
