Cool MateHe's innocent of any wrong doing vs Not guilty
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's innocent of any wrong doing
Not guilty
| He's innocent of any wrong doing | Not guilty | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈɪnəsənt əv ˈɛni ˈrɒŋ ˈduːɪŋ//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈɪnəsənt əv ˈɛni ˈrɔŋ ˈduɪŋ// | 🇬🇧 //nɒt ˈɡɪlti//🇺🇸 //nɑt ˈɡɪlti// |
| Meaning | He didn't do anything wrong. | Not responsible for a crime or wrong action. |
| Example | Despite the charges, he maintains he's innocent of any wrongdoing. | The jury found him not guilty of all charges. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | proclaim innocence, declare innocent, prove innocent | declare not guilty, plead not guilty, verdict of not guilty |
| Antonyms | - | guilty |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'innocent of any wrongdoing' without the preposition., Incorrectly using 'innocent' for someone who is guilty., Omitting 'any' which can change the meaning. | Confused with 'innocent' as both can imply lack of guilt., Used inappropriately in non-legal contexts., Mispronounced or miswritten as 'not guity'. |
| Usage notes | Used in both formal and informal contexts to assert someone's lack of guilt. | Commonly used in legal contexts, appropriate in court or serious discussions. Not suitable for casual conversation or humor. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: He's innocent of any wrong doing vs Not guilty
What's the difference between He's innocent of any wrong doing and Not guilty?
He's innocent of any wrong doing: He didn't do anything wrong. Not guilty: Not responsible for a crime or wrong action.
Which is more formal: He's innocent of any wrong doing and Not guilty?
Not guilty is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: He's innocent of any wrong doing and Not guilty?
He's innocent of any wrong doing is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
He's innocent of any wrong doing: Despite the charges, he maintains he's innocent of any wrongdoing. Not guilty: The jury found him not guilty of all charges.
Can I use He's innocent of any wrong doing and Not guilty interchangeably?
Not always. He's innocent of any wrong doing and Not guilty are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.