plead innocence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plead innocence" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to declare or assert one's innocence in a formal or legal setting. Example: The defendant stood before the judge and pleaded innocence, claiming he had been wrongly accused of the crime.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Here Israel cannot plead innocence.

The Economist

It's all fairly polite stuff, as if they're both trying to plead innocence over something.

The Guardian - Sport

They plead innocence, or at least ignorance: when I talked to Bertha over the phone recently, she told me in a despairing voice, "He knew.

The New Yorker

Taken aback by the disclosure that some museums, like dealers, request a commission when art they are exhibiting is sold, museums around the country scrambled last week to plead innocence, profess ignorance or say that they had stopped doing it.

The New York Times - Arts

The ruling dropped immediately after Greipel was interviewed by television in the belief he had won the stage, and the German was keen to plead innocence even before being deprived of his 17th win of the season.

The Guardian - Sport

And they say their long-term record is good; the average five-year default rate for investment grade (those rated triple-B and above) structured securities is less than 1%.On negative watchHowever, if the agencies wanted to plead innocence, this was not the ideal time for S&P to part company with its president, Kathleen Corbet, so that she could "spend more time with her family".

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Hoping you're not caught--or that if you are discovered you can plead innocence--could require an awfully long wait (forever actually) before you're truly in the clear.

Forbes

Mets reliever D. J. Carrasco hit the Brewers slugger Ryan Braun in the shoulder one pitch after allowing a home run to Rickie Weeks, then threw up his arms in the international gesture for "how dare you accuse me of anything but the most innocent intentions?" Carrasco pleaded innocence but was immediately ejected.

The New York Times - Sports

The charge can be up to 10 times higher if someone is found guilty after pleading innocence, which magistrates say is undermining the justice system by encouraging innocent but impoverished defendants to plead guilty.

Independent

Maria pleaded innocence.

The New Yorker

Petroleum Council all pleaded innocence.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "plead innocence", ensure the context clearly indicates a formal setting, such as a legal proceeding or an official inquiry, to accurately convey the intended meaning of declaring one's lack of guilt.

Common error

Avoid using "plead innocence" in informal settings or casual conversations; instead, opt for phrases like "I didn't do it" or "I'm not guilty" to suit the conversational tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plead innocence" functions as a verbal expression used to formally declare or assert one's lack of guilt, typically in a legal or official context. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Sport

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "plead innocence" is a grammatically correct verbal expression used to formally declare one's lack of guilt, primarily in legal or official contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's validity and provides illustrative examples. While related phrases like "assert innocence" and "declare innocence" share similar meanings, "plead innocence" carries a specific connotation of a legal plea. The phrase is more commonly found in news and media sources. It's essential to use "plead innocence" in appropriate formal settings to accurately convey its intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assert innocence

Focuses on a strong declaration of innocence.

declare innocence

Emphasizes a formal announcement of being not guilty.

maintain innocence

Highlights the continuous claim of being innocent.

protest innocence

Indicates a strong objection while declaring innocence.

profess innocence

Suggests a formal declaration of innocence, often in response to an accusation.

claim non-involvement

Shifts focus to denying participation in a specific act.

deny culpability

Emphasizes the denial of responsibility or guilt.

aver innocence

A more formal and emphatic way of declaring innocence.

exculpate oneself

Focuses on proving oneself not guilty.

vindicate oneself

Emphasizes the act of clearing oneself from blame or suspicion.

FAQs

How can I use "plead innocence" in a sentence?

You can use "plead innocence" to describe someone formally declaring their lack of guilt, as in "The defendant chose to plead innocence despite the overwhelming evidence."

What is a more formal way to say "plead innocence"?

A more formal alternative to "plead innocence" is to "assert innocence", which emphasizes a strong declaration of being not guilty.

Which is correct, "plead innocence" or "plead guilty"?

Both "plead innocence" and "plead guilty" are correct, but they have opposite meanings. "Plead innocence" means to declare that you are not guilty, while "plead guilty" means to admit that you are guilty.

What's the difference between "plead innocence" and "claim innocence"?

While both phrases convey a declaration of not being guilty, "plead innocence" often implies a more formal or legal context, whereas "claim innocence" can be used more broadly in both formal and informal situations.