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
But the Harry comments were pretty innocuous in comparison to the Andrew jokes.
—
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 22 May 2026
Google and Apple have argued that such a policy creates privacy issues — requiring them to collect sensitive information from all users, even adults who want to use innocuous apps — and that app developers and app stores should share responsibility for age verification.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Even seeming innocuous clauses in a prenuptial agreement can be unfair.
—Patricia Fersch, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
No innocuous chat about fantasy football has ever sent shockwaves through the mainstream media.
—Kate Lavelle, Glamour, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 22 May 2026
Google and Apple have argued that such a policy creates privacy issues — requiring them to collect sensitive information from all users, even adults who want to use innocuous apps — and that app developers and app stores should share responsibility for age verification.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Even seeming innocuous clauses in a prenuptial agreement can be unfair.
—Patricia Fersch, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
No innocuous chat about fantasy football has ever sent shockwaves through the mainstream media.
—Kate Lavelle, Glamour, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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That and a harmless fifth-inning error were the only blemishes on his masterpiece.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
While eye rubbing may seem harmless, people who rub their eyes are at risk of infections or damage to their cornea.—
Neelam Patadia,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Just be straight to the point and unwavering, without feeling the need to justify a simple, benign action.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
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What followed were three tissue biopsies of the lump over three years, each coming back benign.—
Ayren Jackson-Cannady,
SELF,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Two of the victims were shot and one, an innocent housewife, was buried alive.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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Slater was injured during an innocent-looking drill during training camp and sat out all season.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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