1
as in innocency
the quality or state of being free from guilt or blame
the accused embezzler eventually proved her innocence and was released
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naturalness
the quality or state of being simple and sincere
the innocence of the child's question touched everyone present
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ignorance
the state of being unaware or uninformed
in my innocence I just assumed that quoted rate was for a week's stay and not for a single night at the health spa
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4
as in purity
the quality or state of being morally pure
in Melville's novel, the sailor Billy Budd serves as a symbol of absolute innocence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of innocence
After years of fighting for Neil’s innocence, the truth finally caught up with them.
—
Evan Clark, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Two young performers — Jenalia Valerio and Malee Cenizal — return to swap nights playing Waverly’s granddaughter Susan, a character that brings a sweet sense of innocence with a dash of determination to the show.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
That playfulness and innocence is heard across the entirety of Puff of Smoke, but also delivered each night onstage by the band.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
Rossi protested his innocence and claimed he was punished so strictly because of his prominent role in Italian football, to make an example.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Evan Clark, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Two young performers — Jenalia Valerio and Malee Cenizal — return to swap nights playing Waverly’s granddaughter Susan, a character that brings a sweet sense of innocence with a dash of determination to the show.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
That playfulness and innocence is heard across the entirety of Puff of Smoke, but also delivered each night onstage by the band.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
Rossi protested his innocence and claimed he was punished so strictly because of his prominent role in Italian football, to make an example.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocence
Noun
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An accurate line design directly affects the naturalness of the hair transplant results.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
IndyStar,
6 Oct. 2025
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But the movie is a sweet star showcase that belongs unequivocally to the incandescent Maura, whose earthy naturalness, sly humor and tenacious spirit feed a direct link back to her Almodóvarian glory days.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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During which Helm suffered loneliness, inconsequence and ignorance – an original and terrible fugue state.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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While potentially shakier data may cause volatility in markets later this week, for now ignorance appears to be bliss.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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So that’s the purity, that’s the beauty of baseball.—
Alison Weinflash,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
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Synthesizing a pencil-size sample in a robotic lab is far from producing tonnes of it at semiconductor purity or certifying it for aircraft use.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The absurdity of the image—and the simplicity of the complaint—also sparked a flood of lighthearted responses.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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McMillan chose to focus on pets, building his method around simplicity.—
Jane Stern,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What skills — care, competence, sincerity, and reliability — are needed to strengthen the trust in these relationships?—
Colin Bedell,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
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Grow your visibility by sharing with sincerity.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocence. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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