innocent

I

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Not guilty]

Syn. guiltless, blameless, inculpable, impeccable, faultless, unoffending, free of, uninvolved, honest, above suspicion, clean*, in the clear*; see also reliable 1 , upright 2 .

Ant. guilty*, culpable, blameworthy.

2. [Without guile]

Syn. open, ingenuous, fresh, guileless; see childish 1 , frank , naive , natural 3 .

3. [Inexperienced]

Syn. youthful, raw, green*; see inexperienced , young 2 .

4. [Morally pure]

Syn. sinless, unblemished, pure, unsullied, undefiled, spotless, wholesome, upright, unimpeachable, clean, virtuous, chaste, virginal, immaculate, impeccable, righteous, uncorrupted, irreproachable, unstained, stainless, unspotted, incorrupt, moral, angelic, squeaky-clean*; see also chaste 2 , 3 , perfect 2 .

Ant. sinful, corrupt, dissolute.

5. [Harmless]

Syn. innocuous, inoffensive, safe, benign; see harmless 2 .

II

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.

1. free from guilt blameless, pure, *clean, inculpable, above suspicion, sinless, unimpeachable, guilt-free, guiltless, uncorrupt, immaculate, irreproachable.

2. simple, as a child naive, childlike, harmless, unsophisticated, unworldly, ingenuous, artless, gullible, guileless, pure ofheart. ''Those who not only are guiltless themselves but who think others are.''—Josh Billings.

ANT.: 1. guilty, to blame, culpable, corrupt. 2. sophisticated, worldly, artful, disengenuous

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I adjective 1. Free from evil and corruption: angelic, angelical, clean, lily-white, pure, sinless, unblemished, uncorrupted, undefined, unstained, unsullied, untainted, virginal. Idiom: pure as the driven snow. See CLEAN, RIGHT, SEX. 2. Free from guilt or blame: blameless, faultless, guiltless, harmless, irreproachable, lily-white, unblamable. Slang: clean. Idiom: in the clear. See RIGHT. 3. Within, allowed by, or sanctioned by the law: lawful, legal, legitimate, licit. Slang: legit. See LAW. 4. Devoid of hurtful qualities: harmless, hurtless, innocuous, inoffensive, unoffensive. See HELP. 5. Free from guile, cunning, or deceit: artless, guileless, ingenuous, naive, natural, simple, unaffected, unsophisticated, unstudied, unworldly. See HONEST. 6. Not aware or informed: ignorant, oblivious, unacquainted, unaware, unconscious, unenlightened, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowing, unwitting. Idiom: in the dark. See KNOWLEDGE. 7. Not having a desirable element: barren, destitute, devoid, empty, lacking, void, wanting. Idiom: in want of. See FULL. II noun 1. A pure, uncorrupted person: angel, lamb, virgin. See CLEAN, RIGHT. 2. A guileless, unsophisticated person: babe, child, ingenue, naive. Idiom: babe in the woods. See KNOWLEDGE. 3. A young person between birth and puberty: bud1, child, juvenile, moppet, tot1, youngster. Informal: kid. Scots: bairn. See KIN, YOUTH.