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
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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
As if his own fate, his own guilt and innocence, were bound up with theirs.
—
Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
In reality, the 36-year-old gamer had recorded the footage days earlier, in a bid to feign his innocence.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 June 2026
All while still keeping that innocence that got them this far.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The dismissal is a procedural ruling, not a finding of innocence.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
In reality, the 36-year-old gamer had recorded the footage days earlier, in a bid to feign his innocence.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 June 2026
All while still keeping that innocence that got them this far.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The dismissal is a procedural ruling, not a finding of innocence.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocence
Noun
-
Ultra-high-purity nitrogen gas flows into the mask, and that displaces breathable air until none is left.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
The purity of her purpose isn’t lost on those who watch her skate.—
Alice Park,
Time,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
As a national icon, the Natural Bridge served as a quiet, Emersonian rebuke to Europe’s militaristic triumphal arches, reinforcing the naturalness of American democracy.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
That ease and naturalness are paramount to Copeland.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
From this follow both the political dimension and a certain form of ignorance as to the source of so much unhappiness—and not only on the family front.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
Imperfect measurement is not an argument for embracing ignorance.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
But despite their simplicity, the style leaves plenty of room for personalization.—
Omenaa Boakye,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
-
Soccer derives its beauty from its simplicity.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The piece has to throb and, well, that is not the first verb that comes to mind in director Jonathan Butterell’s production, with all due respect for the sincerity of the effort and the intermittent effectiveness of the storytelling.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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But in those cases and others, the defendants took concrete steps that demonstrated their sincerity and conscious awareness of the threatening nature of their speech.—
Wayne Unger,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocence. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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