He's innocent of any wrong doing vs Pure

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

He's innocent of any wrong doing

Top 2,000 (common)

Pure

Top 1,000 (very common)B2adjective
Most common: Pure
 He's innocent of any wrong doingPure
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈɪnəsənt əv ˈɛni ˈrɒŋ ˈduːɪŋ//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈɪnəsənt əv ˈɛni ˈrɔŋ ˈduɪŋ//🇬🇧 /["/pjʊə(r)/","/ˈpjʊərə(r)/","/ˈpjʊərɪst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pjʊr/","/ˈpjʊrər/","/ˈpjʊrɪst/"]/
MeaningHe didn't do anything wrong.Something that is clean or not mixed with anything else.
ExampleDespite the charges, he maintains he's innocent of any wrongdoing.She prefers to drink pure water without any additives.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level-B2
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsproclaim innocence, declare innocent, prove innocentpure water, pure heart, pure substance, pure joy, pure gold
Antonyms-impure, contaminated, mixed
Common mistakesConfused 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 'purer' – 'pure' is the base form, not comparative., Used incorrectly in terms of emotions, e.g., saying 'pure love' is often acceptable, but context matters.
Usage notesUsed in both formal and informal contexts to assert someone's lack of guilt.Used to describe something that is uncontaminated or without addition. In formal contexts, often refers to substances or qualities; in informal contexts, can refer to intentions or feelings.

See it in real clips

He's innocent of any wrong doing

Frequently asked questions: He's innocent of any wrong doing vs Pure

What's the difference between He's innocent of any wrong doing and Pure?

He's innocent of any wrong doing: He didn't do anything wrong. Pure: Something that is clean or not mixed with anything else.

Which is more common: He's innocent of any wrong doing and Pure?

Pure 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. Pure: She prefers to drink pure water without any additives.

Can I use He's innocent of any wrong doing and Pure interchangeably?

Not always. He's innocent of any wrong doing and Pure 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.

Related comparisons