innocence

noun

in·​no·​cence ˈi-nə-sən(t)s 

1

a

: freedom from legal guilt of a particular crime or offense

b

: freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil : blamelessness

c

: lack of knowledge : ignorance

… written in entire innocence of the Italian language.

—E. R. Bentley

d(1)

: freedom from guile or cunning : simplicity

(2)

: lack of worldly experience or sophistication

e

: chastity

2

: one that is innocent

3

: bluet

Synonyms of innocence

• innocency
• purity

Examples of innocence in a Sentence

He vows that he will prove his innocence in court.

the trusting innocence of childhood

The age of innocence was over.

Recent Examples on the Web

An Alford plea allows defendants in criminal court cases to maintain their innocence in relation to an alleged crime, while simultaneously agreeing to plead guilty, according to the United States Department of Justice. —Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026

And you’re also reminded that such things are still tainted, even if the movie twists itself into knots to circumvent such thinking, and the level of innocence required to listen to those hits is long gone. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026

Ellerup, who divorced Heuermann after his arrest in 2023, steadfastly defended her ex-husband’s innocence during those earlier episodes. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

My sister, Lucy, and brother never gave up hope and always believed in his innocence. —Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing innocence

• in all innocence

Kids Definition

innocence

noun

in·​no·​cence ˈin-ə-sən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being innocent

Legal Definition

innocence

noun

in·​no·​cence ˈi-nə-səns 

: freedom from fault or guilt under the law: as

a

: the state of not being guilty of a particular crime or offense compare guilt

b

: the state of not being guilty of an act that constitutes a ground for divorce

c

: ignorance on the part of a party to a transaction of facts that would lead a person of ordinary prudence to make inquiries