in·no·cent
ˈi-nə-sənt 
1
a
: free from legal guilt or fault
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 Wibberley2
3
: lacking or deprived of something
… her face innocent of cosmetics …—Marcia Davenport
Marcia Davenport
innocently
adverb
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
Noun
Examples of innocent in a Sentence
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.
Noun
an innocent who is often puzzled by and prey to the evils of the world
Recent Examples on the WebTaylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
Roberson’s innocence claim underscores an inherent risk of capital punishment: A potentially innocent person could be put to death.
—Dakin Andone, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024
Some were likely innocents caught in the crossfire.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for innocent 
Adjective
Strong evidence suggests that Robertson is innocent and was convicted based on shaken baby syndrome, which has largely been debunked.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
Roberson’s innocence claim underscores an inherent risk of capital punishment: A potentially innocent person could be put to death.
—Dakin Andone, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
There is, too, international law surrounding the death of innocents.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024
Some were likely innocents caught in the crossfire.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for innocent
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'innocent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near innocent
Cite this Entry
“Innocent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innocent. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
innocent
adjective
in·no·cent
ˈin-ə-sənt
1
: free from sin : pure
2
: free from guilt or blame : guiltless
innocent of the crime
3
: free from harmful influence or effect : harmless
innocent fun
innocent
noun
innocently
adverb
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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share