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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Unverified theories and wild speculation are sapping law enforcement resources, flooding tip lines with false leads and spawning conspiracy theories targeting innocent people, including family members.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 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
Four men who were wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders were declared innocent by a Texas judge on Thursday, formally clearing their names in a courtroom for the first time since the killings of four teenage girls that haunted the city for decades.
—CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Unverified theories and wild speculation are sapping law enforcement resources, flooding tip lines with false leads and spawning conspiracy theories targeting innocent people, including family members.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 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
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California lifestyle If the architecture and location are pure aspirational California living, the Instagram campaign is something else entirely.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
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And in one of Fennell’s wildest edits, pure-hearted girl next door Isabella Linton (Alison Oliver) becomes a scary-horny savant à la Emma Stone in Poor Things, with a fabulous voodoo dollhouse and a questionably consensual taste for S&M.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This survival strategy has, coincidentally, resulted in some strains of bacteria being unaffected by certain antibiotics, drugs that trace their origins to natural compounds.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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The westbound lanes are unaffected.—
Michelle Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The first is Jonathan Harker, naïve English solicitor despatched to Transylvania to do a deal with a mysterious Count whose plan is to dip his fangs into Victorian England.—
Demetrios Matheou,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
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Winning by rallying the naïve and clueless is one thing, but administering a throbbing behemoth is a greater challenge.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Even seemingly harmless organic compounds from things like cooking meals, laundry detergent, lighting a candle, pets, and cleaning supplies can build up and irritate your airways, says Neil Kao, an allergist based in Greenville, South Carolina.—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
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While gas itself is common and usually harmless, ongoing bloating or discomfort may be a sign your gut needs more time to adjust.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Kudos to former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama for showing class and not responding to this insecure, ignorant symbol of racist hatred.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Walz said children fear aggressive agents; critics called the comparison ignorant and offensive.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That angel was Karol Zwierzyński, then a 26-year-old living in Poland.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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There’s a bit of fantasy in this novel as Vivian ascends to the Beyond, a purgatory of sorts, where she is guided by an angel figure named Martha.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And how many guiltless prisoners there are here!—
Alexei Navalny,
The New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2024
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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
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Ira Parker, the co-creator and showrunner behind A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, confirms these pests were a genuine issue when filming this big set piece.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Senate approved its version (SB 7040) by a largely partisan vote of 29-10, after defeating a Democratic amendment to restrict the spending to genuine disasters.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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