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
Some of Matt’s behavior was innocuous.
—
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
Set into motion by an innocuous wish, the James family is forced to explore their generational differences, intra-marital conflicts, raging hormones, and professional anxieties, in a complicated web of body-swapping madness.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Its centerpiece was an innocuous-looking equation that would alter science’s entire conception of reality.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2026
William Tong thought a puppy dog would be innocuous.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
Set into motion by an innocuous wish, the James family is forced to explore their generational differences, intra-marital conflicts, raging hormones, and professional anxieties, in a complicated web of body-swapping madness.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Its centerpiece was an innocuous-looking equation that would alter science’s entire conception of reality.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2026
William Tong thought a puppy dog would be innocuous.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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Even seemingly harmless organic compounds from things like cooking meals, laundry detergent, lighting a candle, pets, and cleaning supplies can build up and irritate your airways, says Neil Kao, an allergist based in Greenville, South Carolina.—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
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While gas itself is common and usually harmless, ongoing bloating or discomfort may be a sign your gut needs more time to adjust.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The disease begins with the formation of benign polyps in the body's large intestine, also known as the colon.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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The less benign theory is that China is attempting to test designs of new nuclear weapons.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As if the wide-eyed innocent who arrived here has been hardened.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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Other concerns, Corrado notes, include the chance that an extremely sensitive DNA test could generate a DNA profile of someone who was never at a crime scene but whose DNA was transferred there by a family member or through other innocent means.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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