1
as in pure
free from sin
an innocent baby
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in acquitted
free from guilt or blame
the robbery suspect was eventually found to be innocent
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3
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
an innocent offer to sing before the gathering
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4
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
an innocent young woman who felt a little out of place among her more sophisticated roommates
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5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
good-natured teasing that is just innocent fun
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6
as in ignorant
not informed about or aware of something
a woman who seems entirely innocent of good manners and common courtesy
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as in angel
an innocent or gentle person
an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of innocent
Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Many local critics say instead innocent people are being left terrorized.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 27 Aug. 2025
Thus, the probability of innocents being killed or wounded in these deployments is high.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Adjective
Ferrara, an innocent no longer, is angling to prize $25,000 out of the Horse’s coffers to finance his first feature.
—Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Many local critics say instead innocent people are being left terrorized.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
After a new kind of dawn patrol to remove our tired but awake—and vocal—kids from the innocents in the campsites around us, my husband and I called uncle.
—Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 27 Aug. 2025
Thus, the probability of innocents being killed or wounded in these deployments is high.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocent
Adjective
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Add a blazer, cardigan, or trench on top—this piece is pure versatility with a side of glam.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
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Companies can also come under attack for pure political gain, as seen in then Republican candidate Ron DeSantis’s confrontation with Disney over LGBTQ rights.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Yet even these entities will adapt, either by exploiting visa loopholes, relying more heavily on student-to-H-1B conversions, or shifting toward the L-1 visa category, which remains unaffected by the new fee.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Lawmakers also expressed concerns that the federal government might not backfill dollars if the state steps into the void to ensure SNAP benefits remain unaffected during the shutdown.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But anyone imagining that this problem will be resolved by taking games beyond international borders is extremely naive.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
In contrast, the late-’90s and early-2000s pop culture era—glittery, naive, and commercially loud—feels like an antidote to endless doom-scrolling.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
So that seemingly innocent Machu Picchu stamp—one of the most popular souvenir stamps around—could be viewed not as a harmless keepsake but as an unauthorized alteration that might jeopardize your ability to travel.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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This time, two small polyps were removed and found to be harmless.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But there are also Black folks who are ignorant of this.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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The pilot has moments both sweet and funny, and sets up the possibility of romance amongst the characters, as well as further high jinks from a rotating cast of license seekers and citizens ignorant of the requirements for a Real ID.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Reina has made 74 angel investments over the past eight years, including Revolut, Volumetric, Elroy Air, and Speckle.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
25 Oct. 2025
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To complete your angel costume, wear a white dress and some sparkly makeup.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And how many guiltless prisoners there are here!—
Alexei Navalny,
The New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2024
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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
Adjective
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Thune, due to the Senate filibuster, has been forced to take a more nuanced approach, using a combination of political pressure and genuine outreach.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement But political divisions remained because of genuine ideological differences.—
Time,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocent. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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