1
as in pure
free from sin
an innocent baby
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in acquitted
free from guilt or blame
the robbery suspect was eventually found to be innocent
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3
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
an innocent offer to sing before the gathering
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4
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
an innocent young woman who felt a little out of place among her more sophisticated roommates
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5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
good-natured teasing that is just innocent fun
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6
as in ignorant
not informed about or aware of something
a woman who seems entirely innocent of good manners and common courtesy
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as in angel
an innocent or gentle person
an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of innocent
Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
—Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
Her version of the middle-aged matron was a gentle innocent who faced the world with an unself-conscious enthusiasm.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Adjective
Hearing innocent rumors about strangers can be surprisingly fun, and in the same vein, this survey of the role of gossip in human relationships is more enjoyable than mean-spirited.
—Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
—Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
Her investigation considers the history of several doomed innocents, beginning with Lana Clarkson, a B-movie queen who was brutally murdered and subsequently conscripted to the annals of true crime.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
Her version of the middle-aged matron was a gentle innocent who faced the world with an unself-conscious enthusiasm.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocent
Adjective
-
About 10 minutes into the party, pure silence blanketed the room.—
Sofia Zarran,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Young is pure New York, having grown up at Sleepy Hollow when his father was the head pro.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Oklahoma ratepayers’ energy bills would be unaffected by new data centers under a bill advancing through the House.—
Emma Murphy,
Oklahoma Voice,
5 Mar. 2026
-
While geopolitical conflict can whip up uncertainty, investors remain focused on market fundamentals that are largely unaffected so far.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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All the while, its apparent north star is the idea that its subjects are, first and foremost, children, a fact of which we’re reminded through their playful, often naïve interactions.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
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Sherman’s naïve insistence that the UN Charter, as a treaty obligation, supersedes anything the General Assembly or Security Council may do is a tragic joke.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Hence, any error arising from the admission of the cellphone evidence is harmless.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The cysts are harmless but greatly affect the guard’s range of motion, including the flexing and snapping motions necessary to take a jump shot.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
To many ballet dancers, Chalamet sounded like an ignorant bully.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
-
This is clearly a knee-jerk reaction and ignorant of actual risks.—
Michael F. Gorman,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Primo Ventures, Techshop, and 40Jemz Ventures led the round and was joined by angel investors.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Actually, angel biscuits are a breeze to make.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And how many guiltless prisoners there are here!—
Alexei Navalny,
The New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2024
-
Many fans found its generally joyous treatment of Miranda’s guiltless affair with Che, a nonbinary comedian, in the first season off-putting.—
Lili Loofbourow,
Washington Post,
21 June 2023
Adjective
-
Renovations true to the period The couple stayed true to the period when the genuine finishes needed replacing.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Who were featured at Woodstock and their dynamic performance was one of the genuine highlights of the film.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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