- Today's Word
Guileless
GAHYL-liss
Definition
(adjective) Innocent and without deception.
Example
Her guileless smile disarmed even the harshest critics.
Fun Fact
The word guileless flips the meaning of guile, which refers to cunning or deceit. While guile can imply clever manipulation, being guileless is about honesty—sometimes to a fault. In literature and psychology, guileless individuals are often seen as pure-hearted or naive, and their openness can leave them vulnerable to exploitation. But it also makes them deeply trustworthy.
(adjective) Holding firmly to an opinion, purpose, or course of action; extremely persistent.
Despite repeated setbacks, her pertinacious pursuit of the project impressed everyone on the team.
From Latin pertinax, meaning “very tenacious” or “holding fast.”