Definition

1. Noun:
   • The state of not being guilty of a crime or offense: "Innocence" refers to the condition of being free from legal guilt or blame for a specific act.
   • The state of being free from sin or moral wrong; purity: It describes a condition of moral purity, being untainted by evil or corruption.
   • Lack of worldly experience or guile; naive simplicity: "Innocence" can denote a quality of childlike naivety, ignorance of evil, or harmless simplicity.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The new evidence proved his innocence. (He was shown to be not guilty of the crime.)
  • She had a childlike innocence that charmed everyone. (She possessed a charming, naive simplicity.)
  • The story explores the loss of innocence. (The story deals with the transition from a state of purity to one of experience or corruption.)

Advanced Usage

• "In all innocence": Without any intention to deceive or cause harm; with pure intentions.
  • He asked the question in all innocence, not realizing it was a sensitive topic.
• "A presumption of innocence": A legal principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty.
  • The court must operate under a presumption of innocence.

Variants and Related Words

• Innocent (adj): Not guilty of a crime; free from moral wrong; simple or naive.
  • He was found innocent of all charges.
• Innocently (adv): In a manner showing innocence.
  • She smiled innocently.

Synonyms

• Guiltlessness: The state of being without guilt.
• Purity: Freedom from immorality, especially of a sexual nature.
• Naivety: Lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment.
• Blamelessness: The quality of being free from blame.

Antonyms

• Guilt: The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense.
• Corruption: Dishonest or fraudulent conduct; moral decay.
• Cynicism: An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest.
• Experience: Practical contact with and observation of facts or events.

Related Idioms

• "Lost innocence": The state or moment when one's naive trust and purity are destroyed by experience or knowledge of evil.
  • The war was the event that marked his lost innocence.
• "A badge of innocence": Something that serves as proof or a symbol of one's innocence.
  • Her honest face was like a badge of innocence.

Noun

1. a state or condition of being innocent of a specific crime or offense
   • the trial established his innocence
2. the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong; lacking a knowledge of evil
3. the quality of innocent naivete