1
: not guilty of a crime or other wrong act
He says that he is innocent of the crime.
She was found innocent of all charges.
A person accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty.
Someone told your secret, but it wasn't me. I'm innocent.
2
always used before a noun
: not deserving to be harmed
an innocent victim
innocent bystanders
3
: lacking experience with the world and the bad things that happen in life
an innocent child
4
: not intended to cause harm or trouble
an innocent question
I made an innocent mistake; I'm sorry.
innocent [=harmless] fun
5
not used before a noun somewhat formal
: having no knowledge of something
He was entirely innocent of what had happened. [=he did not know what had happened]
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/innocent. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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