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
From the speeches to O'Brien's bits to the presenter banter, everything was too innocuous to be totally interesting.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
However, the seemingly innocuous aims announced by these leading politicians may soon run afoul of housing density factors playing no role in rebuilding that’s followed other major California blazes.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
After Doncic’s layup, Goodwin stole the Clippers’ inbounds pass from James Harden to Leonard – typically an innocuous play, and converted a layup to put the Lakers back in front at 73-72.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 1 Mar. 2025
This final check is non-negotiable because even seemingly innocuous commands for minor modifications can introduce hallucinations.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
However, the seemingly innocuous aims announced by these leading politicians may soon run afoul of housing density factors playing no role in rebuilding that’s followed other major California blazes.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
After Doncic’s layup, Goodwin stole the Clippers’ inbounds pass from James Harden to Leonard – typically an innocuous play, and converted a layup to put the Lakers back in front at 73-72.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 1 Mar. 2025
This final check is non-negotiable because even seemingly innocuous commands for minor modifications can introduce hallucinations.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for innocuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innocuous
Adjective
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Allergens are normally harmless substances (often proteins) that can trigger the immune system to produce an allergic reaction in some people.1 Common indoor allergens include dust mites, mold, pollen, insects, rodents, and pet dander.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
17 Mar. 2025
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But is what seems like a harmless habit inhibiting you from doing your best work?—
Maggie Gillette,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Something as benign as a leadoff double might trigger an alarm inside him.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Daniele Bianchi, an assistant professor in UCLA’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, has been studying what causes this normally benign plankton species to start secreting lethal toxins.—
Susanne Rust,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison Still, despite being declared innocent and freed, Knox says she was never allowed to fully live her life again.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
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In the final moments of last week’s episode, Hector Ayala, aka the hero White Tiger, was found innocent in his trial against the NYPD then shot and killed on the street by an unknown murderer.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Innocuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innocuous. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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