gullible
An easy way to remember what "gullible" means is that it's when someone believes something too quickly or without checking if it's true. This person trusts others maybe a little too much.
You often hear "gullible" used when describing people who get caught up in scams, or who easily believe outlandish stories. For example, imagine your friend tells you about some investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true. If you think they're being taken in by a scam and tell them to be careful, you might say, "You know our friend is really gullible when it comes to these kinds of things." In another situation, someone might joke, "I'm so gullible, I fell for that silly joke!" They're not really saying they believe anything false, but rather expressing their tendency to be trusting or easily fooled.
How common is "gullible"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
A gullible person; someone easily fooled or tricked.
adjective
Easily deceived or duped; naive, easily cheated or fooled.
Example: Andrew is so gullible, the way he still believes in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman at the age of fourteen.
Real examples of "gullible" in context
