as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
those innocuous lies we must tell every day if society is to remain civil
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Recent Examples of innocuous
To pediatricians like Eby, the outbreaks meant every typically innocuous symptom in clinic — every cough or sniffle, every hive or wheal or welt — put him and his staff on high alert.
—
Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025
These innocuous-seeming actions can kindle dry vegetation, potentially spawning a wildfire.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Scholars and students alike say that even far more innocuous use of AI is fundamentally re-wiring our brains.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
These innocuous greens look like weeds but taste better than spinach.
—Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025
These innocuous-seeming actions can kindle dry vegetation, potentially spawning a wildfire.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Scholars and students alike say that even far more innocuous use of AI is fundamentally re-wiring our brains.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
These innocuous greens look like weeds but taste better than spinach.
—Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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Here are five times what seemed like a harmless toy turned into a puzzling moment online.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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This is usually harmless and goes away when intake is reduced.—
Barbie Cervoni,
Verywell Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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All worth watching, though perhaps with seasonal factors favorable, earnings clocking in near a 12% annual growth pace and credit markets showing little stress, a modest wobble is enough to skim away some froth and revert the market to its benign trend.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
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However, consuming a lot of beta carotene-rich foods may cause a benign, temporary condition called carotenodermia, which causes the skin to turn yellowish-orange.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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Given sun in just the proper dose, which is no more than three or four hours of direct daily exposure, its innocent look of youth may persist for a decade.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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