Synonyms for innocuous
- adjective
Most common
harmless inoffensive non-poisonous non-toxic anodyne uncontroversial
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Harmless — harmless; producing no ill effect
harmless, inoffensive, non-poisonous, non-toxic, undamaging, unharmful, innoxious dated
2. Anodyne — inoffensive; unprovocative; unexceptionable
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Harmless; producing no ill effect.
- adj. 2
Inoffensive; unprovocative; unexceptionable.
Related words
- Word family
- innocuity innocuousness innocent
- Other spellings
- inoculous
Example sentences
- harmless I'm sorry. It was only meant as a harmless prank.
- inoffensive It's offensive how inoffensive you are!
- uncontroversial Africa's borders are relatively uncontroversial.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| innocuous | steady | |
| harmless | steady | |
| inoffensive | steady | |
| uncontroversial | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 7 letters
- neutral2, anodyne
- 8 letters
- innocent3, harmless2
- 9 letters
- unharmful, innoxious
- 10 letters
- undamaging, unmenacing
- 11 letters
- inoffensive4
- 15 letters
- uncontroversial5, unobjectionable
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (neutral2 = 2 syllables).