Word
innocuous
Phoneticsin·nocu·ous
US/ˌɪˈnɑkjuəs/
UK/ɪnnˈɒkjuːəs/
Definition
adj. not harmful or offensive. You use this to describe something that seems safe or unimportant, even if it might look suspicious at first.
adj. not harmful or offensive in effect or intent. Often describes remarks, substances, or organisms that appear threatening but are actually benign.
Examples
“The spider looked scary, but it was actually innocuous.”
“What began as an innocuous comment about the weather quickly turned into a heated political debate.”
“Although the virus appeared innocuous in early laboratory trials, researchers remained cautious about its potential to mutate once introduced to a wider population.”
Examples
simple
“The spider looked scary, but it was actually innocuous.”
contextual
“What began as an innocuous comment about the weather quickly turned into a heated political debate.”
complex
“Although the virus appeared innocuous in early laboratory trials, researchers remained cautious about its potential to mutate once introduced to a wider population.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem' or 'appear'.
Real-World Examples
“It was all his own work and Bravo had to deploy a combination of skills to turn an innocuous situation into real danger.” “It’s structured, deliciously, around an innocuous experience on a train, when Brookes snacking on a croissant becomes a performative act, awkwardly positioned as he is between the window and a window-gazing fellow passenger.” Etymology
From Latin innocuus (“harmless”) (therefore, no gemination in + nocuous).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/innocuous