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
Flores maintains his innocence.
—
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Both McKinney and Betts spent more than 25 years in jail but have maintained their innocence and have been out on parole since 2023.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
There is of course an innocence to these exchanges.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Baldoni maintained his innocence throughout.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Both McKinney and Betts spent more than 25 years in jail but have maintained their innocence and have been out on parole since 2023.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
There is of course an innocence to these exchanges.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Baldoni maintained his innocence throughout.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocence
Noun
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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
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The failure of so many people to understand the basic facts about marginal tax rates is one of those little pockets of ignorance that manufacture Republican voters.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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Advertisement Maybe ignorance really can be bliss.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The column gossiped about which journalists and pundits did not pass the new purity test.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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These were easier to produce, and, imbued with the Shaker reputation for purity, were as good as gold.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The simplicity of LaceLocker® also remains central to its appeal.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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The fresh flip-flop offerings prove that simplicity need not be sacrificed for stylishness, and that all-day comfiness should most certainly not take a back seat to a head-turning summertime aesthetic.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Love on the Spectrum — gentle, warm, built on sincerity rather than spectacle — represents an evolution within the genre.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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But what is most immediately striking about the film is its straightforward sincerity.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocence. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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