1
as in sincerely
without any attempt to impress by deception or exaggeration
"You look nice," she commented innocently
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chastely
with purity of thought and deed
very young children approach the world so innocently
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of innocently
His friend had innocently landed on that scene.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025
In a thriller, the suspense is built around a challenge posed to the protagonist — the last big score before retiring, being innocently accused of a crime or accidentally getting involved in something dangerous and deadly.
—Anders De La Motte, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
That play started innocently enough.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
The viral clip begins with the wife innocently posing for a photo at the airport near a large window overlooking a plane.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
This game started innocently with a scoreless first period.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
While the wife’s new friendship may have started innocently, the man felt compelled to put his family’s comfort above politeness.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Now, business leaders, workers and civilians alike have all become apathetic toward their own safety, innocently forgetting that there are measures keeping them protected every single day.
—Jim Pauley, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025
In a thriller, the suspense is built around a challenge posed to the protagonist — the last big score before retiring, being innocently accused of a crime or accidentally getting involved in something dangerous and deadly.
—Anders De La Motte, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
That play started innocently enough.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
The viral clip begins with the wife innocently posing for a photo at the airport near a large window overlooking a plane.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
This game started innocently with a scoreless first period.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
While the wife’s new friendship may have started innocently, the man felt compelled to put his family’s comfort above politeness.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Now, business leaders, workers and civilians alike have all become apathetic toward their own safety, innocently forgetting that there are measures keeping them protected every single day.
—Jim Pauley, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocently
Adverb
-
My parents’ house is sincerely stunning; my mom designed the whole thing.—
Bryce Jones,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Gee previously rejected many of Dunbar’s other legal claims, but left it up to a jury to decide whether his religious beliefs are sincerely held.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The film’s climax is a genuinely spectacular action sequence that supercharges the already impressive fights of the original film to new heights, taking full advantage of the big screen to up the scale significantly.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Auerbach's book is genuinely horrifying, resurrecting that visceral terror of 'stranger-danger' most of us learned as kids.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The key question now is whether these shows of force are purely symbolic or if the next strike, flight, or covert action could trigger a direct confrontation between the two countries.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
And, just in time for Halloween, The Twisted Spine, New York’s first bookstore dedicated purely to horror, has opened its doors in Williamsburg.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Parents should discuss digital safety openly.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
That tension brings the conversation back to Mamdani, whose campaign, Piker argues, has tested those boundaries more openly than most.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Unhealthy roots can’t properly absorb nutrients the plant needs.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The lawsuit alleges the property was not properly licensed for rental and did not have appropriate smoke detectors.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
To believe otherwise is to divert one’s gaze, naively, hoping others will manage the problem, keeping it from your doorstep — in defiance of the medicine and simple math.—
Eric Snoey,
Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2025
-
When the frame shifts up and over the reservoir’s edge, Copco 1 appears as a concrete colossus, standing sentry over the river naively burbling below.—
Anne Reeve,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Students must be trained to confront the fundamental questions of human existence, to think ethically, to act morally and to love humanity boldly.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Unlike a movie, show, or song, reading a novel from cover to cover demands time and sustained attention to stay engaged throughout the slowest chapters and extend empathy to flawed, morally gray protagonists.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The glorious sweep of progress toward Roman civilization and prosperity means the end of an idyllic, virtuously rustic Golden Age.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocently. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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