adjective

gullible

/ˈɡʌləbəl/ · say it: GUL·uh·bul

easily deceived

In Personality & Character

In more detail

too ready to believe things; easily tricked or deceived

Examples

He was gullible enough to believe the obvious scam.

How to use gullible

Gullible describes someone who is too quick to believe claims or accept information without sufficient evidence or critical thinking. It carries a negative judgment, suggesting weakness or lack of discernment, and is often used when someone has been actually deceived. It differs from naive, which can be more neutral or refer to inexperience rather than foolishness.

Common phrases

gullible audience
gullible consumer
easy to fool / trick
too gullible
gullible fool

Synonyms

credulous · naive · trusting · susceptible · gullible

Opposites

skeptical · cynical · shrewd

Word family

gullibility (noun) · gullibly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse gullible with guilty or write 'gullable' (the correct spelling has double-l before the 'i').

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