innocence
noun
in·no·cence
ˈi-nə-sən(t)s 
1
a
: freedom from legal guilt of a particular crime or offense
b
: freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil : blamelessness
c
: lack of knowledge : ignorance
… written in entire innocence of the Italian language.—
E. R. Bentley
E. R. Bentley
d(1)
: freedom from guile or cunning : simplicity
(2)
: lack of worldly experience or sophistication
e
: chastity
2
: one that is innocent
3
: bluet
Examples of innocence in a Sentence
He vows that he will prove his innocence in court.
the trusting innocence of childhood
The age of innocence was over.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kilkelly vehemently defended her innocence, and the original charges against her were dismissed in November 2024 by Lake County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Fix.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Until Wednesday, Azevedo had steadfastly maintained his innocence in increasingly bizarre media interviews.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
His legal team maintains his innocence.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026
He has been held incommunicado since then, as his family insists on his innocence and appeals to the international community and even the Vatican for his release.
—Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
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Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Until Wednesday, Azevedo had steadfastly maintained his innocence in increasingly bizarre media interviews.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
His legal team maintains his innocence.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026
He has been held incommunicado since then, as his family insists on his innocence and appeals to the international community and even the Vatican for his release.
—Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for innocence
Cite this Entry
“Innocence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innocence. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
innocence
noun
in·no·cence
ˈin-ə-sən(t)s
: the quality or state of being innocent
Legal Definition
innocence
noun
in·no·cence
ˈi-nə-səns
: freedom from fault or guilt under the law: as
a
: the state of not being guilty of a particular crime or offense compare guilt
b
: the state of not being guilty of an act that constitutes a ground for divorce
c
: ignorance on the part of a party to a transaction of facts that would lead a person of ordinary prudence to make inquiries
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