Guiltless
adj.calm, resilientformal
What it means
Innocent and free from wrongdoing or blame.
Reach for it when describing a person as innocent of the wrongdoing or blame at issue
The evidence confirmed that the guiltless driver followed every rule.
Choose between these
5- playful
in the clear
informal reassurance follows removal of suspicion or risk
not when The phrase can mean merely safe from consequences, not genuinely guiltless.
- everyday
the person did not commit the alleged wrong
not when Innocent has legal force in some contexts and may imply a verdict that evidence cannot yet support.
- professional
exonerated
an investigation has formally cleared the person
not when Exonerated requires a prior accusation and an authoritative clearing process.
- formal
no moral responsibility attaches to the conduct
not when Blameless is stronger than lacking criminal guilt and may ignore a lesser contribution to harm.
- formal
performance or conduct contains no identifiable error
not when Faultless concerns mistakes as well as wrongdoing and can demand unrealistic perfection.
Said against
3- guilty
- culpable
- blameworthy
It naturally appears in
3- guiltless person
A guiltless person should not bear punishment for another's act.
- remain guiltless
She could remain guiltless only by refusing the deceptive request.
- prove guiltless
The records helped prove the driver guiltless of the alleged violation.
Usage notes
Guiltless is uncommon in modern legal writing. Innocent, not responsible, or formally exonerated will usually be more precise.