as in innocent
free from guilt or blame
the state's lieutenant governor was the only member of the administration who could claim to have remained lily-white during the scandal
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Recent Examples of lily-white
Forced to leave their home in Shreveport, Louisiana, and her civil rights advocacy behind, Charlotte arrives in Derry apprehensive about the lily-white town and unsettling vibes that seem to blanket everything.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
In the mid-2010s, the movie industry lurched haltingly toward greater representation after social-media campaigns called attention to the overwhelming dominance of lily-white stories and awards shows.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
The broadening Carlile spoke of was evident in the Americanas’ increasing diversity in what was once considered a lily-white genre, as well as the growth of interest among young people for new old souls like Jesse Welles.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Sep. 2025
To the naked eye, the sport’s lily-white facade is deeply pervasive.
—Essence, 17 Oct. 2024
The suburbs have long and deep histories of racial exclusion, creating the lily-white neighborhoods that benefited generations of white families.
—Becky Nicolaides / Made By History, TIME, 15 Aug. 2024
Riding was a lily-white sport there, too, but there wasn’t the same kind of ceiling on what was possible for a Black man.
—Ryan Lenora Brown, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 June 2024
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
In the mid-2010s, the movie industry lurched haltingly toward greater representation after social-media campaigns called attention to the overwhelming dominance of lily-white stories and awards shows.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
The broadening Carlile spoke of was evident in the Americanas’ increasing diversity in what was once considered a lily-white genre, as well as the growth of interest among young people for new old souls like Jesse Welles.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Sep. 2025
To the naked eye, the sport’s lily-white facade is deeply pervasive.
—Essence, 17 Oct. 2024
The suburbs have long and deep histories of racial exclusion, creating the lily-white neighborhoods that benefited generations of white families.
—Becky Nicolaides / Made By History, TIME, 15 Aug. 2024
Riding was a lily-white sport there, too, but there wasn’t the same kind of ceiling on what was possible for a Black man.
—Ryan Lenora Brown, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lily-white
Adjective
-
When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
-
His huddles at times resemble a family Sunday supper after the conversation turns to politics – everyone yelling, nobody listening, Izzo’s face reddening and a whiteboard left broken, the innocent victim of all the arguing (though they are rumored to be pre-cut to avoid splintering).—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Atlanta isn’t totally blameless in this mess.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Wrigley is not entirely blameless.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Rather than focus on a single irreproachable hero, Mendonça Filho dilates his lens to take in an expansive world.—
Michael Snyder,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Classics from the diasporic Vietnamese repertoire are included, too, with irreproachable instructions.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And how many guiltless prisoners there are here!—
Alexei Navalny,
The New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2024
-
Many fans found its generally joyous treatment of Miranda’s guiltless affair with Che, a nonbinary comedian, in the first season off-putting.—
Lili Loofbourow,
Washington Post,
21 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Lily-white.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lily-white. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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