gullible

or gul·la·ble

[ guhl-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. easily deceived or cheated.

   Synonyms: green, simple, innocent, naive, trusting, credulous

gullible

/ ˈɡʌləbəl /

adjective

1. easily taken in or tricked

Derived Forms

• ˈgullibly, adverb
• ˌgulliˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• gulli·bili·ty noun
• gulli·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of gullible¹

First recorded in 1815–25; gull ² + -ible

Example Sentences

It was all part of a learning process whereby I eventually concluded that people who truculently parade their skepticism are actually the most gullible people on earth.

From Salon

Trump seems more interested in finding new ways to grab as much money as possible from his gullible supporters.

From Salon

Trump has denounced traditional U.S. alliances in Europe and Asia as scams by which devious foreigners have tricked gullible Americans into one-sided military and trade deals.

From Los Angeles Times

First, using leftist-sounding language helps them rope in gullible people, both to take their money and, in many cases, to radicalize them.

From Salon

It turns out that if you look at the data cynicism is shockingly naive and much more similar to gullible trust than people realize.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• foolish
• unsophisticated
• unsuspecting
• wide-eyed