If you say that someone does or says something innocently, you mean that they are pretending not to know something about a situation.
I caught Chrissie's eye, but she only smiled back at me innocently.
'Any chance you'd be heading out that way again, soon?' I asked innocently.
2. See also innocent
Examples of 'innocently' in a sentence
innocently
Her friends have quite innocently begun to pass comment and she is becoming increasingly aware of it.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It began innocently enough with a simple question.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
She quite innocently mentioned this to the guy involved and now neither of them is speaking to me.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Now say west innocently lets the king of hearts win - the normal looking autopilot defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I ask this as innocently as possible.
Christianity Today (2000)
Their design is increasingly subtle and their placement more covert as they store a wealth of personal information as we innocently go about our lives.
The Sun (2015)
It all began innocently enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He has a sharp eye, a fluent pen and that innocently English curiosity about wild creatures.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Who, you innocently ask, might be the beneficiary of this?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Couldn't they tell, one might innocently ask.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Then my wife came in to ask, innocently enough, if a cup of tea would help me to cover the last few feet of wall.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
innocently
British English: innocently ADVERB
If you say that someone does or says something innocently, you mean that they are pretending not to know something about a situation.
I caught her eye, but she only smiled back at me innocently.