Innocuous means harmless or unlikely to bother anyone. An innocuous comment is so mild and inoffensive that nobody could reasonably object to it. An innocuous plant in your backyard might look a bit unusual but poses no danger to people or pets.

The word often describes things that seem minor or unimportant because they don't cause problems. A teacher might make an innocuous joke that makes everyone smile without embarrassing anyone. A medicine might have innocuous side effects, like slight drowsiness, rather than dangerous ones.

Sometimes people use innocuous when something appears harmless but might not actually be: “What seemed like an innocuous request to borrow a pencil turned into demands to copy all my homework.” The word can also suggest something is so bland or unremarkable that it barely registers. An innocuous email about a schedule change might be so routine that you forget about it immediately after reading.

The opposite of innocuous would be harmful, offensive, or dangerous. When something is truly innocuous, you can safely ignore it without worrying about consequences.