innocent 1 of 2

adjective

ˈi-nə-sənt How to pronounce innocent (audio)
Definition of innocentnext
1
as in pure
free from sin an innocent baby

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2
as in acquitted
free from guilt or blame the robbery suspect was eventually found to be innocent

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3
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others an innocent offer to sing before the gathering

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4
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment an innocent young woman who felt a little out of place among her more sophisticated roommates

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5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt good-natured teasing that is just innocent fun

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6
as in ignorant
not informed about or aware of something a woman who seems entirely innocent of good manners and common courtesy

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innocent

2 of 2

noun

as in angel
an innocent or gentle person an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of innocent
Adjective
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office announced Friday that three City of Miami police officers would not be facing any criminal charges after a 2025 shooting outside a Wynwood nightclub that left an armed man and an innocent female bystander dead. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Busfield, who has insisted be was innocent of the charges, was released from custody pending trial. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
Over 5,000 deaths, most of them for innocents not driving trucks, in 2023 alone. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Whatever conclusions investigators might reach, the loss of at least 50 souls, and the wounding of dozens more innocents, is an unbearable blow for any community. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for innocent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocent
  1. pure
  2. guiltless
  3. unaffected
  4. naive
  5. harmless
  6. ignorant
  7. angel
  8. blameless
Adjective
  • In My Own Words is a product of the enchantment and pure yearning Ne-Yo saw as fundamental to R&B.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils are crafted to deliver long-lasting, natural fragrance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • In any year, in any culture, there are no antagonists (save for Nazis) better suited as action cinema heavies; rooting against child trafficking lowlifes is moral, easy, and best of all, a completely guiltless pleasure.
    — Andy Crump, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
  • Chick lit was flippant and fizzy and fun, above all, as effervescent and guiltless as a vodka soda.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026
Definition of guiltless
Adjective
  • The league said its review of Cooper’s conduct for potential violation of its personal conduct policy after a pair of domestic violence arrests in June remains ongoing and is unaffected by Cooper’s status change.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers have long wondered why some people develop these reactions while others seem to skate by unaffected.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of unaffected
Adjective
  • And how naive of me to believe that language could transcend grief.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone thinks their kids’ slang is ridiculous and their parents’ politics naive.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • These symptoms can have harmless explanations, and Midnight Mimosa may operate without obvious warning signs.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This allows the system to identify actions that may appear harmless individually but become dangerous in context.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • Understandably, Penn struggles to hold these disparate points of focus together with a performance that vacillates between disarmingly dopey and almost willfully ignorant of the realities of the 2000s media landscape.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Some people in the White House treated Jackie as a cipher, ignorant of almost everything happening.
    — Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignorant
Noun
  • The color isn't stark white, but rather a silvery, snowy color fit for an ice queen—or an angel!
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Tower Research Ventures led the round and was joined by Lytical Ventures, 1984 Ventures, South Park Commons, and angel investors.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of angel
Adjective
  • Yet this particular Jason underscores the tragedy playing out for all the others, who are blameless and worthy, guilty only of not being the original.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Red Sox weren’t exactly blameless in the Devers saga, and the whole thing could’ve been avoided with better communication between player and franchise.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of blameless

Browse Nearby Words

innocency
innocent
innocently
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Cite this Entry

“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on innocent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about innocent

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