INNOCUOUS Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

innocuous

adjective

i-ˈnä-kyə-wəs

Definition of innocuous

as in harmless

not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt those innocuous lies we must tell every day if society is to remain civil

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 innocuous Doritos, ramen, marshmallows, and frosted cereals; French fries cooked in beef tallow; tofu prepared on a grill that just had meat on it—even the most innocuous products can contain beef, pork, or dairy. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 These innocuous-seeming actions can kindle dry vegetation, potentially spawning a wildfire. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026 These seemingly innocuous incidents attain new significance as they’re revisited alongside a slow crescendo that suddenly turns to shuddering piano chords on the track’s bridge. — Nick Ayres Demasi, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026 And the council deferred a seemingly innocuous lease amendment for the Bank of America Stadium over concerns the agreement hadn’t considered community benefits. — Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for innocuous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous

Adjective

From the risk of leaks and water damage to potential electrical issues, a seemingly harmless load of laundry can occasionally turn into an expensive problem.

— Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Even moderate drinking carries risk and is not as harmless as people, including experts, once thought.

— Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of harmless

Adjective

But at that point, the headlines were still focused on relatively benign annoyances like car engines conking out, or a bridge getting stuck on Roosevelt Road.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Such a seemingly benign move puts Ethiopia in opposition to China’s monopoly and is a rebuke of the former object of Ethiopian emulation.

— Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of benign

Adjective

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
That law predates the much wider United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which took effect in 1994, giving ships the right of innocent passage through any country's territorial waters without paying a fee.

— Joanne Stocker, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of innocent

Browse Nearby Words

innocents

innocuous

innominate

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of innocuous

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on innocuous

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes