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ingenue

[an-zhuh-noo, -nyoo, an-zhay-ny] / ˈæn ʒəˌnu, -ˌnju, ɛ̃ ʒeɪˈnü /


ingénue




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.

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His previous feature, 2016’s love-it-or-hate-it loony toon “The Neon Demon,” was a modeling industry semi-satire that featured beauties quite literally gobbling up their ingenue competition.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

A thoroughly modern ingenue, Flora is determined to bring change.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025

And Williamson, at 60, is no longer an industry ingenue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2025

Born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, Gigi was a drama school nerd who turned to music when she realised she was "never going to be cast in the ingenue role".

From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2024

It was such an ingenue thing to say, and Adina had never played that role.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

He also courted strong and straight — and unavailable — alpha men to whom he appeared happy to play the beta role of political ingénue.

From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026

All of the things that make him an unlikely ingénue — the flop sweat, the slight chunkiness, the desire to pass for a cute foodie — click into place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

In these images Sellers—a comic giant at the height of his career—acts as an eager paparazzo chasing after the self-assured ingénue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Pickett explains: "I wasn't really interested in her being an ingénue."

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2025

When Miss Anglin first appeared as Roxane last night, a sigh went up from all parts of the house: 'Here's another blond and simpering ingénue.'

From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 1 March 1906 by Various

Instead, the ingénues were cast in lead roles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

“I had my 36th birthday on ‘King Kong’ — I was still playing ingénues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

Ms. Hunt said she begged studio executives to end her run of dewy-eyed coeds and romance-minded ingénues and give her a better range of parts, even if it meant a drop from marquee billing.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 10, 2022

And in “Als mir dein Lied erklang,” she was superb, singing with the combination of purity and humanity that characterizes the best Strauss ingénues.

From New York Times ● Feb. 18, 2022

She stood before the screen, certain she could practically smell the restaurant, the heavy perfumes of a room full of divas and ingénues.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny


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