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View synonyms for

innocent

[ in-uh-suhnt ]

adjective

  1. free from moral wrong; without sin; pure:

    innocent children.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,

    Antonyms:

  2. free from legal or specific wrong; guiltless:

    innocent of the crime.

    Antonyms:

  3. not involving evil intent or motive:

    an innocent misrepresentation.

  4. not causing physical or moral injury; harmless:

    innocent fun.

  5. devoid (usually followed by of ):

    a law innocent of merit.

  6. having or showing the simplicity or naiveté of an unworldly person; guileless; ingenuous.

    Synonyms: , , ,

  7. uninformed or unaware; ignorant.


noun

  1. an innocent person.
  2. a young child.
  3. a guileless person.
  4. a simpleton or idiot.
  5. Usually innocents. (used with a singular verb) bluet ( def 1 ).

innocent

/ ˈɪəəԳ /

adjective

  1. not corrupted or tainted with evil or unpleasant emotion; sinless; pure
  2. not guilty of a particular crime; blameless
  3. postpositivefoll byof free (of); lacking

    innocent of all knowledge of history

    1. harmless or innocuous

      an innocent game

    2. not cancerous

      an innocent tumour

  4. credulous, naive, or artless
  5. simple-minded; slow-witted
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an innocent person, esp a young child or an ingenuous adult
  2. a simple-minded person; simpleton
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԲԴdzԳٱ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • n·Գ· adverb
  • ܲȴ-n·Գ adjective
  • quasi-n·Գ· adverb
  • p·n·Գ adjective
  • super·n·Գ· adverb
  • ܲ·n·Գ adjective
  • un·n·Գ· adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of innocent1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Latin innocent- (stem of ԲԴdzŧԲ ) “harmless,” equivalent to in- in- 3 + ԴdzŧԲ present participle of Դdzŧ “to harm”; -ent; noxious
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Synonym Study

Innocent, blameless, guiltless imply freedom from the responsibility of having done wrong. Innocent may imply having done no wrong at any time, and having not even a knowledge of evil: an innocent victim. Blameless denotes freedom from blame, especially moral blame: a blameless life. Guiltless denotes freedom from guilt or responsibility for wrongdoing, usually in a particular instance: guiltless of a crime.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They also believed that it was on the ordinary citizens of America to take up arms against a tyrannical ruling order, no matter what the cost to innocent lives might be.

From

Their preparations to emigrate to America include training the innocent Karl to avoid recognition.

From

Without mentioning the demolitions, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the guilty must be punished without mercy, "but don't let innocent people become collateral damage".

From

Civil rights lawyers warn that some migrants are being deported without due process, sweeping up the innocent among the "killers and thugs" that Trump says are being targeted.

From

She said she believes that Miller was innocent of espionage, and that he really was trying to infiltrate the KGB.

From

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