Ingenuous Meaning Analysis

The question asks for the word closest in meaning to the underlined word 'ingenuous' in the given sentence.

Understanding 'Ingenuous'

The word 'ingenuous' describes someone who is innocent, simple, and trusting, often lacking worldly experience or shrewdness. It implies a lack of guile or cunning.

In the sentence, "It is ingenuous to suppose that money did not play a part in his decision," the term suggests that the belief expressed is simplistic and perhaps overly trusting or unaware of common motivations.

Comparing Options to 'Ingenuous'

• Naive: This means showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment. It aligns closely with the simplicity and lack of shrewdness implied by 'ingenuous'.
• Clever: This means intelligent and quick-witted, which is contrary to the meaning of 'ingenuous'.
• Erudite: This refers to having great knowledge or learning, unrelated to the meaning of 'ingenuous'.
• Probing: This relates to inquiring deeply or seeking to uncover information, which does not match 'ingenuous'.

Conclusion

Based on the comparison, the word nearest in meaning to 'ingenuous' is 'naive'. The relationship can be summarized as: \(\text{ingenuous} \approx \text{naive}\).