childlike

American

[chahyld-lahyk] / ˈtʃaɪldˌlaɪk /

adjective

like a child, as in innocence, frankness, etc.; befitting a child.

childlike trust.

Synonyms:

innocent, trusting, guileless, simple, ingenuous, young

Antonyms:

adult, sophisticated

childlike British

/ ˈtʃaɪldˌlaɪk /

adjective

like or befitting a child, as in being innocent, trustful, etc Compare childish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See childish.

Other Word Forms

childlikeness noun
unchildlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of childlike

First recorded in 1580–90; child + -like

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And while their mission demands extreme precision, there is still room for childlike levity.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

The results are childlike at times — parts of “La Noche” and “Lo_Divino” sound like nursery rhymes — while the nakedness of “Volvieron” brims with a solemn, ageless kind of grace.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025

“Although I feel it’s a very mature room, it also feels like a little girl’s room in a way. So I kind of feel like my childlike self in this room,” she explained.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 16, 2025

They’re faster, stronger and in some cases smarter than the average person, but childlike nevertheless, testing the extent of their agency.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025

She seemed not to mind, keeping her clear, childlike eyes devoted to his face.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023