# innocence

/ˈɪnəsəns/ (US) · /ˈɪnəsəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/innocence
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not guilty of a crime

noun · CEFR B2

the fact that you have not done anything wrong or illegal.

For teachers: the state or quality of being guiltless of a specific crime or offence. Uncountable in its legal sense.

- The lawyer worked for years to prove the man's innocence and get him out of prison.
- The defendant maintained his innocence throughout the trial, insisting that the forensic evidence had been misinterpreted by the prosecution's lead witness.

### 2. lack of worldly knowledge

noun · CEFR B2

a lack of experience or knowledge about the bad or complicated parts of life.

For teachers: a lack of worldly experience, sophistication, or knowledge regarding adult themes such as sexuality or corruption.

- The children played with a sweet innocence, unaware of the problems their parents were facing.
- The novel explores the loss of childhood innocence as the protagonist is forced to confront the harsh realities of the Great Depression.

### 3. harmlessness

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the quality of not being dangerous or not intending to hurt anyone.

For teachers: the quality of being harmless or lacking the intention to cause injury or damage.

- Despite his scary appearance, the dog's innocence was clear from his wagging tail.
- The committee was eventually convinced of the innocence of her intentions, concluding that the administrative errors were accidental rather than malicious.

## Examples

- The lawyer worked hard to prove the man's innocence.
- The documentary explores how new DNA evidence finally established the prisoner's innocence after twenty years behind bars.
- The novel mourns the loss of childhood innocence as the protagonist is forced to confront the harsh social realities of the adult world.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.