innocence
Americannoun
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the quality or state of being innocent; freedom from sin or moral wrong.
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freedom from legal or specific wrong; guiltlessness.
The prisoner proved his innocence.
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simplicity; absence of guile or cunning; naiveté.
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lack of knowledge or understanding.
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harmlessness; innocuousness.
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an innocent person or thing.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of innocence
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word innocentia. See innocent, -ence
Explanation
Innocence means you’ve done nothing wrong. You’ve broken no laws, committed no sins, and are not guilty of any morally evil act. Well done. In a courtroom, a defendant might announce their innocence, claiming they did not commit whatever crime they’re accused of. Innocence is very important in many religions, where your moral purity decides what happens to your soul after you die. The word comes from the Latin innocentia, which means “not harming” and someone with innocence will not harm themselves or others, at least not on purpose. Remember that there are no ss in innocence, so spell it with two cs.
Vocabulary lists containing innocence
"Marigolds"
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Bronx Masquerade
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List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Renault Group will defend its innocence, as well as the professionalism and ethics of its 100,000 employees, before the criminal court," the company said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Hamm entered into an arrangement where she would accept conviction on three counts of unauthorized use of property while maintaining her innocence and avoiding prison.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Bartlett was alone with Atticus when he suffered these injuries, and the medical evidence gathered during the investigation proves he was solely responsible for causing them - despite his claims of innocence."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
And I guess “Drive” was my version of that innocence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
I got in my car with the sinking realization that if everyone who tried to help us on this case was going to be threatened, it would be very difficult to prove Walter's innocence.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
