innocent 1 of 2

adjective

ˈi-nə-sənt How to pronounce innocent (audio)
Definition of innocentnext
1
as in pure
free from sin an innocent baby

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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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innocent

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of innocent
Adjective
The Backstreet Boys are in many ways a squeaky clean offshoot of New Edition, for instance, but the former is generally seen as a boy band while the latter is branded as a male R&B group—something sexier, less innocent. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 In the end, Matt kills everybody who wronged him (plus several innocent people), and is forced to live as a reclusive mud monster in the sewers. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
Some innocents are coerced into false confessions, like what happened to the Central Park Five. — Rene Denfeld, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 Over 5,000 deaths, most of them for innocents not driving trucks, in 2023 alone. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for innocent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocent
  1. pure
  2. guiltless
  3. unaffected
  4. naive
  5. harmless
  6. ignorant
  7. angel
  8. blameless
Adjective
  • In My Own Words is a product of the enchantment and pure yearning Ne-Yo saw as fundamental to R&B.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils are crafted to deliver long-lasting, natural fragrance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • In any year, in any culture, there are no antagonists (save for Nazis) better suited as action cinema heavies; rooting against child trafficking lowlifes is moral, easy, and best of all, a completely guiltless pleasure.
    — Andy Crump, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
  • Chick lit was flippant and fizzy and fun, above all, as effervescent and guiltless as a vodka soda.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026
Definition of guiltless
Adjective
  • The Valhalla’s dihedral doors, thankfully, were unaffected by any of the changes made to the vehicle.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The presales for the remaining shows are being held on Ticketmaster, and are reported to be unaffected.
    — Thomas Smith, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of unaffected
Adjective
  • Mischa Glooshkoff, aka Michael Graves, has light brown curls, a wicked grin, and a wiry frame—perfect casting for the grand boulevardier who would lead my naïve young father astray.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • And how naive of me to believe that language could transcend grief.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • These symptoms can have harmless explanations, and Midnight Mimosa may operate without obvious warning signs.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This allows the system to identify actions that may appear harmless individually but become dangerous in context.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • Understandably, Penn struggles to hold these disparate points of focus together with a performance that vacillates between disarmingly dopey and almost willfully ignorant of the realities of the 2000s media landscape.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Some people in the White House treated Jackie as a cipher, ignorant of almost everything happening.
    — Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignorant
Noun
  • The color isn't stark white, but rather a silvery, snowy color fit for an ice queen—or an angel!
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Tower Research Ventures led the round and was joined by Lytical Ventures, 1984 Ventures, South Park Commons, and angel investors.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of angel
Adjective
  • Riley certainly wasn’t blameless, especially considering how much time his team had to prepare for Wisconsin.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Yet this particular Jason underscores the tragedy playing out for all the others, who are blameless and worthy, guilty only of not being the original.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of blameless

Browse Nearby Words

innocency
innocent
innocently
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Cite this Entry

“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on innocent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about innocent

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