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
That could provide some reassurance that young people engaging in innocent or small-group activities wouldn’t get swept up in enforcement. — Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026 This summer has been marked by police pursuits, street takeovers and fatal crashes that have claimed the lives of innocent pedestrians and sent scores of riders to the emergency room. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
Whatever conclusions investigators might reach, the loss of at least 50 souls, and the wounding of dozens more innocents, is an unbearable blow for any community. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026 In his work, women were still ethereal innocents who had yet to become believable human beings. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 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
  • Swift was born into the Anglo-Irish Protestant elite, and the text satires both the callousness of his class and a then-ascendant approach to morality and politics that held that all aspects of life could be cooked down to a pure numerical value.
    — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, Bier recognizes the pure joy of seeing these women drinking margaritas again, resulting in a vivid and sweet celebration that gradually reframes aging as a process of gaining power rather than losing it.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 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
  • Hundreds more cameras could be left operating and unaffected throughout the four-county region.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Her bed is Amal’s haven after a long day’s work, where the two can joke, watch TV, and relax in unaffected warmth.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of unaffected
Adjective
  • The rookies, of which the Dolphins drafted an NFL-high 13 players, could be considered a bit naive to the intricacies of an NFL season.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • By the early sixties, the romance of the untaught or naïve artist was really catching.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • Its short fangs can likely pierce human skin, but the spider is not known to bite humans and is considered harmless.
    — Melissa Petruzzello, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • When we are inoculated against a disease, we are exposed to a small, harmless dose of something dangerous.
    — Rebecca Stafford, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • The old worst dressed lists could be cruel, sexist, culturally ignorant, and spectacularly misguided.
    — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Mamdani’s ignorant opinion illustrates Kissinger’s concern, relying on emotional display rather than the facts.
    — Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignorant
Noun
  • Her fantastical Biblical scenes, of a graphic, storybook sensibility, sometimes showed angels, and Christ himself, as chalky white, and this rang in some Black critical circles as a sign of backwater unsophistication.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Bream and Teller closed Anywears’ pre-seed round with angel investors within the private equity and finance sectors in January, with another round of funding slated for early 2027.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of angel
Adjective
  • 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
  • The Red Sox weren’t exactly blameless in the Devers saga, and the whole thing could’ve been avoided with better communication between player and franchise.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on innocent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about innocent

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