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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
an innocent offer to sing before the gathering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
good-natured teasing that is just innocent fun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in ignorant
not informed about or aware of something
a woman who seems entirely innocent of good manners and common courtesy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in angel
an innocent or gentle person
an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
The report says the girl’s statements and attitude weren’t consistent with those of an innocent person explaining the facts.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
His only companion is his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), a young innocent who just wants to help Teddy, who serves as a Greek chorus/audience surrogate (and a representative of Lanthimos’ interest in childlike adults).
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Adjective
Their gross mismanagement of the situation ultimately led to an innocent American, who was only trying to document the actions of ICE and the Border Patrol by lawfully videoing them using his cell phone, having his young life prematurely snuffed out.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
The report says the girl’s statements and attitude weren’t consistent with those of an innocent person explaining the facts.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
His only companion is his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), a young innocent who just wants to help Teddy, who serves as a Greek chorus/audience surrogate (and a representative of Lanthimos’ interest in childlike adults).
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocent
Adjective
-
Adam Lambert Standing on the smaller, rotating stage in the middle of the room, Lambert showcased how even with his irrepressible flair, his pure voice is the star.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Cocktail making at White Bar is almost a choreographed dance and a simple orange daiquiri feels like drinking a glass of pure bright sunshine.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While payment systems appear unaffected, the exposure of personal data still creates long-term risks for millions of customers.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In one case, for a client who needed to travel from Florida to Texas, Sentient worked with the operator and found an airport unaffected by the storm.—
Doug Gollan,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The naive notion that America protects its own has remained largely intact, until the current administration declared that anyone who’s not with them is against them.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
So like Dorthy Gale, Gail is a naive young girl from Kansas.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The bacteria are generally harmless in the gut, but when shed in feces and transferred to the urinary tract, the microbes can travel up the urethra and settle in the bladder.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Skin tags and cherry angiomas Skin tags are harmless growths that can appear anywhere on your skin but most commonly develop on the neck, eyelids, or underarms.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
We’d be laughed at and called ignorant boors!—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Dunk isn’t ignorant of what doing the right thing could cost him.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The company’s pre-seed round is backed by Nuwa Capital, Suhail Ventures, Plus VC, OQAL Angel Syndicate and a number of strategic angel investors.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
There should be an appeal to our better angels to look after one another and to recognize what’s happening.—
Dave Campbell,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The new telescope represents a genuine leap toward accessible professional astronomy, stripping away the technical barriers.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The strength of the Premier League has never been more evident, with each side posing a genuine threat to take points off each other.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
