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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of innocence
Caneiro pleaded not guilty and has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
—
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Kawaii, the Japanese aesthetic that emphasizes cuteness and childlike innocence through charms, characters and colors, is bringing an unserious vibe to technology in the West.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Jan. 2026
When his older brother pressed him further and alluded to the fact that the lyrics are presumably referencing the NFL tight end's manhood, Travis feigned innocence.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
That could bolster Caveye's claims of innocence.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Kawaii, the Japanese aesthetic that emphasizes cuteness and childlike innocence through charms, characters and colors, is bringing an unserious vibe to technology in the West.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Jan. 2026
When his older brother pressed him further and alluded to the fact that the lyrics are presumably referencing the NFL tight end's manhood, Travis feigned innocence.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
That could bolster Caveye's claims of innocence.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocence
Noun
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The Windsor family often shares moments during this time of year that reflect their warmth and naturalness.—
María Munsuri,
Glamour,
25 Dec. 2025
-
Frogposting, then, pits the intractably byzantine, soulless and cutthroat nature of the contemporary economy in a simple binary against what the posters envision as the green, healthy, naturalness of the Earth—framed as a joke, the base unit of online commentary.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Here in the United States, the writer and filmmaker Mike Judge has garnered praise over the course of his career for getting laughs out of broken systems and absurd ignorance in American culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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In these special kinds of systems, even a minuscule amount of uncertainty in the measurement of the initial state of a system very quickly compounds into complete ignorance about its future behavior.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Historically, the water’s purity was singular, giving life to a watershed that flourished because of a unique paucity of nutrients, a situation that hindered the pursuit of any single species that would dominate the rest.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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These companies verify quality and purity.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Behind the classy presentation is a working-class spirit, one that honors the simplicity of showing up, being yourself and doing your job.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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The rover’s two-wheel design reflects UEL’s emphasis on surface mobility and system simplicity.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Know that conversations deserve deep sincerity.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
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Part of what comes to me, Roxana, is my sincerity and my earnestness.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocence. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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