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
And as with your grandmother’s ability to counter rudeness with a clever quip, this seemingly innocuous cocktail, too, packs a mighty punch.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
The evidence suggests that a seemingly random sequence in an innocuous GPS field is broadcast to any device that asks for positioning data (yes, that includes your phone).
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
This is something that a guy would think is innocuous, but any woman would gather up all of her friends and go to war over.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026
The report itself that came out from his physician was mostly fairly innocuous.
—NBC news, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
The evidence suggests that a seemingly random sequence in an innocuous GPS field is broadcast to any device that asks for positioning data (yes, that includes your phone).
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
This is something that a guy would think is innocuous, but any woman would gather up all of her friends and go to war over.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026
The report itself that came out from his physician was mostly fairly innocuous.
—NBC news, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
-
Not the harmless kind that arrives during a slow afternoon.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The test itself is harmless, but acting on the results can cause harm.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Enlarged prostate Similarly, current labels on therapies generally warn that testosterone therapy may worsen symptoms of benign enlarged prostate.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
In 2019, an international group of researchers suggested that Simonetta suffered from a pituitary adenoma, or a benign tumor on the pituitary gland.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Authorities say a suspect who was eight months pregnant crashed her car into a Sturbridge, Massachusetts hotel early Thursday morning and then started shooting, critically injuring an innocent bystander at the hotel before turning the gun on herself.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The deaths of innocent Americans, and misleading the public on the rationale for their deaths, played a role in her departure.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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