as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
those innocuous lies we must tell every day if society is to remain civil
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Recent Examples of innocuous
Now reimagined through a distinctly Turkish lens, the film explores the emotional erosion of a young couple after the arrival of a new child and the purchase of a deceptively innocuous piece of furniture.
—
Jamie Lang, Variety, 2 May 2025
During a recent episode of The Colin & Samir Show, Zuckerberg appeared in a seemingly innocuous T-shirt bearing the logo of Ardsley Athletics, the New York high school the Meta founder briefly attended before transferring to the boarding school Phillips Exeter Academy.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Other items that landed on the list, despite not falling into exempted categories, are far more innocuous.
—Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 22 Apr. 2025
As such, the fleeting moments are more natural, and seemingly innocuous mistakes can linger.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Jamie Lang, Variety, 2 May 2025
During a recent episode of The Colin & Samir Show, Zuckerberg appeared in a seemingly innocuous T-shirt bearing the logo of Ardsley Athletics, the New York high school the Meta founder briefly attended before transferring to the boarding school Phillips Exeter Academy.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Other items that landed on the list, despite not falling into exempted categories, are far more innocuous.
—Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 22 Apr. 2025
As such, the fleeting moments are more natural, and seemingly innocuous mistakes can linger.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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This is a harmless side effect with no association with adverse health effects.6 Kidney stones: Beets, spinach, green cabbage, rhubarb, nuts, and chocolate are high in oxalate.—
Ann Pietrangelo,
Verywell Health,
20 May 2025
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Misconception 3: Brief online connections are harmless.—
Lior Lamesh,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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In a two-part study, individuals who used benign humor styles — like light teasing, warmth or self-enhancement — were consistently rated more positively by friends, family and even potential romantic partners.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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The trade war wasn’t necessarily the main reason for the benign readings.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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These rapid deportations mean some innocent people are being denied the chance to clear their name in a U.S. courtroom.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Seeing innocent people arrested for exercising their civil rights, sparked his desire to pursue a career in law.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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