innocently
gb/ˈɪnəsəntli/ us/ˈɪnəsəntli/
B2
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adverb
B2
property
1
without guilt or wrongdoing
in a way that shows you did not do anything wrong
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] [verb] innocently
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use it for “carefully” or “quietly”; it specifically relates to guilt, blame, or bad intent.
Synonymes
blamelessly (Emphasizes lack of fault or responsibility.)
|
without blame (More explicit and often used to clarify responsibility.)
Antonymes
guiltily (Suggests awareness of wrongdoing or responsibility.)
|
culpably (Formal; emphasizes legal or moral blame.)
Collocations
innocently accused
|innocently convicted
|innocently imprisoned
|declare (that) you acted innocently
|be found innocently involved
|protest innocently
|maintain innocently
|be innocently caught up in
Thèmes
law_crime
|morality
|social_relations
Exemples
- He insisted he had acted innocently and knew nothing about the fraud.
- Several people were innocently caught up in the investigation.
- She was released after it became clear she had been innocently convicted.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I did it innocently.
- He was innocently accused.
adverb
B2
property
2
naively, without realizing consequences
in a way that shows you did not know it could be a problem
Schéma d’usage :
innocently [verb] [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Not the same as “intentionally” or “carelessly”; it highlights lack of awareness rather than lack of care.
Synonymes
naively (Emphasizes lack of experience or sophistication.)
|
unwittingly (Emphasizes doing something without knowing the truth or effect.)
Antonymes
knowingly (Suggests awareness of what you are doing and its implications.)
|
deliberately (Emphasizes intention rather than innocence.)
Collocations
innocently ask
|innocently assume
|innocently mention
|innocently suggest
|innocently bring up
|innocently believe
|innocently click (a link)
|innocently start (a conversation)
Thèmes
communication
|emotions
|daily_life
Exemples
- I innocently asked how much he earned, and the room went quiet.
- She innocently mentioned his ex, not realizing it was a sore subject.
- He innocently clicked the attachment and downloaded malware.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I innocently asked a question.
- She innocently mentioned his name.
adverb
B2
property
3
in a pure, harmless way
in a simple, harmless way
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] [verb] innocently
Erreur fréquente :
Don’t use it just to mean “nicely”; it specifically suggests purity/harmlessness or lack of sexual/bad intent.
Synonymes
purely (Often focuses on lack of sexual or ulterior intent.)
|
harmlessly (Emphasizes that no harm is intended or likely.)
Antonymes
lewdly (Opposite in sexual tone or implication.)
|
maliciously (Opposite in intent; aims to harm.)
Collocations
smile innocently
|look innocently
|sleep innocently
|hold hands innocently
|kiss innocently
|play innocently
|giggle innocently
|watch innocently
Thèmes
relationships
|emotions
|society
Exemples
- They kissed innocently at the station before she got on the train.
- The child smiled innocently, unaware of the argument behind him.
- He tried to sound innocently curious, but his questions felt intrusive.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The baby slept innocently.
- They held hands innocently.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
innocently
API
GB/ˈɪnəsəntli/
US/ˈɪnəsəntli/
Syllabes et accentuation
in - no - cently (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: innocently
- Plural: innocentlies
Famille de mots
Expressions
innocently enough
1/ˈɪnəsəntli ɪnˈʌf/
fixed phrase
starting harmlessly at first
used to say something began in a simple, harmless way
Exemples
- It began, innocently enough, with a joke in the group chat.
- I was innocently enough trying to help, but I only made things worse.
- The meeting started innocently enough before the accusations began.