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
Since so much of this couple’s arc bubbles up under the surface, the intention behind sometimes innocuous lines is key, making Fey’s expertise as the person writing them invaluable.
—
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 May 2025
These costly compliance burdens may be expected to discourage some innocuous mergers, particularly by smaller parties.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
That by itself seemed innocuous, and thus the prosecutor (who did not have easy access to the explanatory data) was unable to explain to the judge why the office had decided to seek confinement.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
The likely culprit wasn’t raw eggs or undercooked chicken but an innocuous salad staple: cucumbers.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 May 2025
These costly compliance burdens may be expected to discourage some innocuous mergers, particularly by smaller parties.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
That by itself seemed innocuous, and thus the prosecutor (who did not have easy access to the explanatory data) was unable to explain to the judge why the office had decided to seek confinement.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
The likely culprit wasn’t raw eggs or undercooked chicken but an innocuous salad staple: cucumbers.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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The parchment tube worm is a couple of inches long and about a half-inch wide and is harmless, Seid said.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
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Generally, face yoga exercises are harmless, Alam said.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Only 2 percent of cockroach species are pests, while the other 7,000 or so species are benign, Ware says.—
Madeline Bodin,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
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Why Is Important for Parents to Be Aware of Bop House Content On most social media platforms, The Bop House’s content is relatively benign, usually taking the form of TikTok dances and games or an inside look at special events, like their private jet trip to the Super Bowl.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Parents,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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On July 8, U.S. soldiers escorting a train fired at crowds in Hammond, killing an innocent bystander.—
Robert Loerzel,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
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Night in West Texas is a probing look at the cracks in the American justice system and how one innocent man so easily slipped through them.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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