Ingenuous
hardPositive tonein-JEN-yoo-us
adjective
Definition
Innocent and unsuspecting; candid and sincere
Memory hook
IN-GENUINE: genuinely innocent — open, honest, and unsuspecting (not ingenious = clever).
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“His ingenuous questions revealed his lack of experience.”
“She gave an ingenuous account of her childhood.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“His ______ questions revealed his lack of experience.”
Show answer
ingenuous
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Ingenuous is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "naive" or "guileless" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "disingenuous".
Related GRE Words
guileless
Innocent and without deception; artless and sincere
artless
free of guile or pretense; naturally simple and sincere
veracious
Speaking or representing the truth; truthful
forthright
Direct and outspoken; straightforward and honest
naive
Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment
credulous
Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things
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