Words / C2

i-NOK-yoo-uh-s/ɪˈnɒkjuəs/

Innocuous means not harmful and not likely to offend: an innocuous remark, look innocuous. Harmless is everyday; inoffensive is close. Inane (this batch) is silly, not merely harmless. Noxious is harmful — the opposite flavour. Do not call a missing consent clause innocuous.

Meaning

Not harmful or likely to offend.

Examples

• “The email looked innocuous; the attachment was last year’s grades.”
• “Harmless is everyday. Inane is empty-headed (this batch). Noxious fumes are harmful. A typo in a name can be innocuous; a wrong year in a table is not. “It was only a joke” does not make a leak innocuous.”

Good to know

Harmless; inoffensive. Everyday: harmless. Contrast: inane (silly); noxious (harmful). Looking mild is not the same as being safe.

Near in meaning

harmless

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