What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Spontaneous vs Ingenuous - What's the difference?

spontaneous | ingenuous |

As adjectives the difference between spontaneous and ingenuous

is that spontaneous is self-generated; happening without any apparent external cause while ingenuous is naive and trusting.

spontaneous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Self-generated; happening without any apparent external cause.
    • He made a spontaneous offer of help.
  • Done by one's own free choice, or without planning.
  • proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external or conscious constraint
  • arising from a momentary impulse
  • controlled and directed internally; self-active; spontaneous movement characteristic of living things
  • produced without being planted or without human labor]]; [[endemic, indigenous
    • a spontaneous growth of wood
  • Random.
  • Sudden, without warning.

    • Synonyms

    * (self-generated) autonomous * (sense, done by one's own free choice) autonomous * autonomous

    Derived terms

    * spontaneousity

    Related terms

    * spontaneous combustion

    ingenuous

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Naive and trusting.
  • Demonstrating childlike simplicity.
  • * 1919 ,
    • "Do you mean to say you didn't leave your wife for another woman?"
    "Of course not."
    "On your word of honour?"
    I don't know why I asked for that. It was very ingenuous of me.
  • Unsophisticated; simple.
  • Unable to mask one's feelings.
  • Straightforward, candid, open, and frank.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * disingenuous

    Usage notes

    Do not confuse with ingenious.