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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 innocuous
And what little things contributed to the narrative, including a fairly innocuous exchange on the red carpet during an Oscars afterparty.
—
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Apr. 2026
Potato peels, pasta, and rice may seem innocuous, but once exposed to water, their starches swell and turn sticky, leading to gummy clogs in your pipes, says Dolan.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
In Outcome, the tape in question within the film ends up being, if not innocuous, relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Discover the altered gene, place healthy versions of the gene into innocuous viruses, give those to patients, hope that kickstarts the CFTR protein and corrects the problem.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Apr. 2026
Potato peels, pasta, and rice may seem innocuous, but once exposed to water, their starches swell and turn sticky, leading to gummy clogs in your pipes, says Dolan.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
In Outcome, the tape in question within the film ends up being, if not innocuous, relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Discover the altered gene, place healthy versions of the gene into innocuous viruses, give those to patients, hope that kickstarts the CFTR protein and corrects the problem.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
-
The right-hander blanked the Rockies for five innings, allowing four harmless singles over.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
-
While most are harmless, some have the potential to become malignant over time.—
Holly Burns,
Time,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
While Reynoso was getting in trouble, being insubordinate and dealing with suspensions, Rodriguez has been entirely more benign.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
-
The tumor was benign and had meningioma.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The agency noted that criminal charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Faced with innocent bystanders being hurt — even killed — during the chases, some agencies have at times called off pursuits in the interest of safety.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
