Ingenuous and Phony
Opposite meaning words
Ingenuous
Ingenuous adjective - Free from any intent to deceive or impress others.
Usage example: photographs that capture the ingenuous smiles of young children at play
Phony
Phony adjective - Lacking in natural or spontaneous quality.
Usage example: she always has this phony smile just before she betrays you
Cite this Source
Phony and Ingenuous. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/ingenuous/phony
Ingenuous & Phony. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/ingenuous/phony>.
Phony or Ingenuous. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/ingenuous/phony.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "ingenuous" and "phony" have occurred on timeline