gullible
GULL-uh-bul
/ˈɡʌl.ə.bəl/
Easily persuaded to believe something; credulous or easily duped.
Focuses on vulnerability to deceit, scam, or trickery due to excessive trust or lack of skepticism.
The story behind the word. The word stems from the verb 'gull' (to swallow whole or dupe), which likely referenced a young, unfledged bird ('gull') that opens its mouth wide to swallow whatever food is dropped into it without question.
Word relationships
- credulous: Credulous is formal and emphasizes readiness to believe; gullible emphasizes being easily fooled or taken advantage of.
- naive: Naive implies broader worldly inexperiencedness, whereas gullible specifically targets being tricked.
- skeptical: Skeptical implies doubt and a demand for solid evidence.
- cynical: Cynical implies distrust of human motives.
Commonly confused with
- gull: A gull is a sea bird, or a verb meaning to dupe; gullible describes someone who is easily duped.
Word family
- gullibility (noun): Tendency to be easily persuaded that something is real.
- gull (verb): To fool, cheat, or trick someone.
Collocations
- gullible target
- gullible public
- surprisingly gullible
- gullible victims
Idioms & expressions
- swallow something hook, line, and sinker
Example sentences
- "Scammers target gullible investors with promises of guaranteed overnight riches." Consumer protection warning
- "I was so gullible as a child that my older brother convinced me chocolate milk came from brown cows." Personal narrative
Memory hook
A GULL (seagull) will swallow anything thrown at it; a gullible person swallows any lies told to them. Swallowing any lie.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'innocent'; gullible specifically relates to being easily tricked or scammed.
Fun facts
- A classic schoolyard prank involves telling someone: 'Did you know the word gullible isn't in the dictionary?'
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