innocent
1 of 2adjective
in·no·cent ˈi-nə-sənt 
1
a
: free from legal guilt or fault
also : lawful
a wholly innocent transaction
b
: free from guilt or sin especially through lack of knowledge of evil : blameless
an innocent child
c
: harmless in effect or intention
… searching for a hidden motive in even the most innocent conversation.
Leonard Wibberley
Leonard Wibberley also : candid
gave me an innocent gaze
2
a
: lacking or reflecting a lack of sophistication, guile, or self-consciousness : artless, ingenuous
b
: ignorant
… almost entirely innocent of Latin. C. L. Wrenn
C. L. Wrenn also : unaware
… perfectly innocent of the confusion he had created … B. R. Haydon
B. R. Haydon 3
: lacking or deprived of something
… her face innocent of cosmetics … Marcia Davenport
Marcia Davenport innocently adverb
innocent
2 of 2noun
plural innocents
: a person who is innocent: such as
a
: a person free from sin : a young child
the biblical massacre/slaughter of the innocents
b
: a naïve, inexperienced, or unsophisticated person
a political innocent
… during a great land boom in which immense fortunes were made and innocents like himself fleeced. Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller c
: a blameless person : a person who does not deserve to be harmed
The war caused the death of thousands of innocents.
Synonyms
Adjective
- impeccable
- pure
- sinless
- white
Noun
- angel
- dove
- lamb
- sheep
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective He says that he is innocent of the crime. She was found innocent of all charges. A person accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty. Someone told your secret, but it wasn't me. I'm innocent.
Recent Examples on the Web Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 Reed's defense maintained that their client was innocent and urged jurors to carefully examine the evidence, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Landon Mion, Fox News, 30 Aug. 2022 Ignacio Fernandez Lahongrais, a lawyer for Ms. Vázquez Garced, said the former governor was innocent. Allison Prang, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 Officials said that modern Russian tanks were now being used to kill innocent people in Ukraine. Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2022 There was also a deadly suicide bomb attack at the airport and a US drone strike killed 10 innocent people at a home, including seven children. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022 There, his reporting freed two innocent people from incarceration, including one man who was 20 years into a life sentence and one facing life. Joshua Sharpe, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Aug. 2022 The blood of innocent people, including children, is on the hands of everyone who has supported Putin or stood by silently. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 Aug. 2022 The ad makers took something designed to do good and turned it into something evil, which will harm innocent people. Herschel Walker, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Chris Harris, PEOPLE.com, 29 June 2022 And like so many people, I was horrified by what happened in Texas, by what happened in Buffalo, by what’s been happening, quite frankly, all over our country, in terms of gun violence against the innocent. Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 June 2022 Her image can be seen on statues and billboards worldwide; her name is synonymous with courage, with resistance to persecution, with the death of an innocent. Ruth Franklin, The New York Review of Books, 11 May 2022 As Ukraine puts up a fierce defense Russia turns its guns on the innocent. NBC News, 20 Mar. 2022 The group works also to fix the legal systems that convict the innocent. cleveland, 7 Mar. 2022 Those who suffer trauma are not excused from inflicting trauma on the innocent. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2021 Most of the novel takes place in a shack where the child was killed and where the man goes to confront God about an ancient question: How can a loving and all-powerful God allow the innocent to suffer? Crocker Stephenson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2021 Rye is a shy romantic—the quintessential innocent destined to be wised up by novel’s end. Maureen Corrigan, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020 See More
Adjective
Ten years after her college friend was killed, a woman learns that the man convicted of her murder may have been innocent. Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 Reed's defense maintained that their client was innocent and urged jurors to carefully examine the evidence, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Landon Mion, Fox News, 30 Aug. 2022 Ignacio Fernandez Lahongrais, a lawyer for Ms. Vázquez Garced, said the former governor was innocent. Allison Prang, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 Officials said that modern Russian tanks were now being used to kill innocent people in Ukraine. Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2022 There was also a deadly suicide bomb attack at the airport and a US drone strike killed 10 innocent people at a home, including seven children. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022 There, his reporting freed two innocent people from incarceration, including one man who was 20 years into a life sentence and one facing life. Joshua Sharpe, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Aug. 2022 The blood of innocent people, including children, is on the hands of everyone who has supported Putin or stood by silently. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 Aug. 2022 The ad makers took something designed to do good and turned it into something evil, which will harm innocent people. Herschel Walker, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Noun
White said investigators have yet to determine if the woman was the intended target of Tuesday's violence or an innocent who was cut down in the crossfire. Chris Harris, PEOPLE.com, 29 June 2022 And like so many people, I was horrified by what happened in Texas, by what happened in Buffalo, by what’s been happening, quite frankly, all over our country, in terms of gun violence against the innocent. Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 June 2022 Her image can be seen on statues and billboards worldwide; her name is synonymous with courage, with resistance to persecution, with the death of an innocent. Ruth Franklin, The New York Review of Books, 11 May 2022 As Ukraine puts up a fierce defense Russia turns its guns on the innocent. NBC News, 20 Mar. 2022 The group works also to fix the legal systems that convict the innocent. cleveland, 7 Mar. 2022 Those who suffer trauma are not excused from inflicting trauma on the innocent. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2021 Most of the novel takes place in a shack where the child was killed and where the man goes to confront God about an ancient question: How can a loving and all-powerful God allow the innocent to suffer? Crocker Stephenson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2021 Rye is a shy romantic—the quintessential innocent destined to be wised up by novel’s end. Maureen Corrigan, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin innocent-, innocens, from in- + nocent-, nocens wicked, from present participle of nocēre to harm — more at noxious
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
innocent
adjective
in·no·cent ˈi-nə-sənt
1
: free from sin : pure
She's as innocent as a baby.
2
: free from guilt or blame
He is innocent of the charges.
3
: free from evil influence or effect : harmless
innocent fun
Medical Definition
innocent
adjective
in·no·cent ˈin-ə-sənt
: lacking capacity to injure : benign
an innocent tumor
innocent heart murmurs
Legal Definition
innocent
adjective
in·no·cent ˈi-nə-sənt
: characterized by innocence
Biographical Definition
Innocent
biographical name
In·no·cent ˈi-nə-sənt
name of 13 popes: especially II died 1143 (pope 1130–43); III 1160(or 1161)–1216 (pope 1198–1216); IV died 1254 (pope 1243–54); XI 1611–1689 (pope 1676–89)
innocent 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in pure
free from sin an innocent baby Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pure
- white
- honorable
- righteous
- chaste
- sinless
- honest
- immaculate
- virtuous
- moral
- ethical
- virgin
- good
- virtuous
- impeccable
- guiltless
- unblemished
- blameless
- upright
- unsullied
- decent
- spotless
- unstained
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sinful
- impure
- lustful
- lascivious
- evil
- lewd
- wicked
- oversexed
- immoral
- libidinous
- sinning
- depraved
- unchaste
- perverted
- lecherous
- iniquitous
- unrighteous
- peccant
- dissolute
- corrupt
- debauched
- erring
- fallen
- condemned
- lost
- degenerate
- lickerish
- debased
- damned
- reprobate
- virtueless
2
as in guiltless
free from guilt or blame the robbery suspect was eventually found to be innocent Synonyms & Similar Words
- guiltless
- acquitted
- blameless
- inculpable
- irreproachable
- faultless
- ethical
- clear
- lily-white
- impeccable
- exonerated
- moral
- virtuous
- cleanhanded
- cleared
- absolved
- vindicated
- in the clear
- righteous
- law-abiding
- upright
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- guilty
- culpable
- accused
- punishable
- convicted
- indictable
- blameworthy
- impeachable
- blamable
- condemned
- censurable
- indicted
- shamefaced
- hangdog
- impeached
- shamed
3
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others an innocent offer to sing before the gathering Synonyms & Similar Words
- unaffected
- genuine
- honest
- simple
- naive
- true
- guileless
- real
- inexperienced
- sincere
- ingenuous
- artless
- spontaneous
- natural
- naïve
- straightforward
- unpretentious
- unpretending
- childlike
- unsophisticated
- impressionable
- unworldly
- candid
- trustful
- trusting
- simpleminded
- frank
- gullible
- wide-eyed
- persuadable
- malleable
- unforced
- unstudied
- plain
- unguarded
- on the level
- open
- dewy-eyed
- persuasible
- openhearted
- direct
- free
- plainspoken
- unwary
- susceptible
- exploitable
- straight
- gullable
- gee-whiz
- single-minded
- free-spoken
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- false
- cynical
- suspicious
- dishonest
- artful
- affected
- fake
- assuming
- artificial
- critical
- insincere
- sophisticated
- phony
- skeptical
- pretentious
- worldly
- wary
- civilized
- mistrustful
- phoney
- deceptive
- guileful
- deceitful
- hypocritical
- cosmopolitan
- manipulative
- cultured
- devious
- polished
- crooked
- refined
- dissembling
- dissimulating
- subtle
- sly
- shrewd
- cunning
- wily
- cultivated
- shifty
- worldly-wise
- crafty
- smooth
- foxy
- sharp
- slippery
- scheming
- slick
- underhanded
- tricky
- calculating
- unctuous
- flattering
- designing
- sycophantic
- feigned
- two-faced
- knavish
- arch
- double-dealing
- canny
- forced
- strained
- mealymouthed
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- naive
- simple
- immature
- unsuspicious
- inexperienced
- unsuspecting
- unsophisticated
- ingenuous
- unworldly
- unknowing
- primitive
- naïve
- childish
- unwary
- dewy
- uncritical
- naif
- wide-eyed
- naïf
- childlike
- simpleminded
- green
- dewy-eyed
- trustful
- trusting
- gullible
- careless
- idealistic
- aw-shucks
- believing
- credulous
- callow
- unguarded
- thoughtless
- susceptible
- unrealistic
- impractical
- gullable
- duped
- raw
- gulled
- tricked
- heedless
- beguiled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sophisticated
- cynical
- worldly
- suspicious
- knowing
- experienced
- incredulous
- cosmopolitan
- critical
- skeptical
- unconvinced
- careful
- cautious
- watchful
- worldly-wise
- doubting
- wary
- realistic
- pragmatic
- guarded
- leery
- suspecting
- sober
- pragmatical
- hardheaded
- leary
- down-to-earth
- streetwise
- street-smart
5
as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt good-natured teasing that is just innocent fun Synonyms & Similar Words
- harmless
- benign
- safe
- innocuous
- white
- healthy
- inoffensive
- anodyne
- sound
- gentle
- wholesome
- mild
- benignant
- healthful
- hurtless
- trustworthy
- gracious
- salubrious
- unobjectionable
- nonthreatening
- painless
- nontoxic
- nonpoisonous
- nonpolluting
- nonfatal
- noninfectious
- nondestructive
- noncorrosive
- nonlethal
- nonvenomous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- evil
- dangerous
- mischievous
- harmful
- wicked
- bad
- ill
- prejudicial
- adverse
- injurious
- detrimental
- damaging
- deleterious
- pernicious
- hurtful
- poisonous
- sinister
- noxious
- baneful
- menacing
- baleful
- hazardous
- ominous
- venomous
- threatening
- unsafe
- risky
- perilous
- nocuous
- unsound
- unhealthy
- painful
- unwholesome
- nasty
- fatal
- offensive
- deadly
- lethal
- unhealthful
- malignant
- destructive
- ruinous
- insidious
- polluted
- imperilling
- imperiling
- jeopardizing
- parlous
- scathing
- noxious
- tainted
- noisome
- wounding
- pestilent
6
as in ignorant
not informed about or aware of something a woman who seems entirely innocent of good manners and common courtesy Synonyms & Similar Words
- ignorant
- unaware
- oblivious
- uninformed
- unknowing
- unwitting
- clueless
- unmindful
- unconscious
- unacquainted
- incognizant
- nescient
- uneducated
- unschooled
- insensible
- untaught
- heedless
- inattentive
- in the dark
- abstracted
- absentminded
- absent
- inconscient
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conscious
- aware
- acquainted
- knowing
- mindful
- grounded
- cognizant
- informed
- conversant
- witting
- hip
- taught
- educated
- knowledgeable
- sensitive
- observant
- schooled
- sentient
- heedful
- plugged-in
- up-to-date
- au courant
innocent
2 of 2noun
as in angel
an innocent or gentle person an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world Synonyms & Similar Words
- angel
- sheep
- lamb
- virgin
- saint
- naïf
- sucker
- naif
- ingenue
- dove
- colt
- ingénue
- fledgling
- babe
- cub
- cherub
- newbie
- softy
- greenhorn
- tenderfoot
- dupe
- weakling
- softie
- pigeon
- wimp
- sap
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wolf
- tough
- rowdy
- bully
- creep
- clown
- beast
- jerk
- roughneck
- lout
- louse
- cad
- boor
- cur
- heel
- snake
- skunk
- cretin
- slob
- joker
- rascal
- miscreant
- shark
- churl
- devil
- rogue
- villain
- scoundrel
- knave
- scamp
- stinker
- rapscallion
- reprobate
- scalawag
- varlet
- scallywag
- no-good
- spinnerets
- spinnerette
- spinnerettes
- spinneries
- spinners
- spinnerular
- spinnerule
- spinnerules
- spinnery
- spinney
- spinneys
- spinnies
- spinning
- spinning band
- spinning count
- spinning dial
- spinning frame
- spinning gland
- spinning house
- spinning jenny
- spinning lathe
- spinning line
- spinning machine
- spinning mammilla
- spinning mite