These words refer to things that are perfect, free of fault or failing, or morally uncorrupted. Innocent pertains to freedom from immoral behaviour: innocent children. This quality, however, may stem from self-restraint, inexperience or lack of opportunity: chaperons who made certain that the picnic remained at a level of innocent fun. The word is often used more simply to denote lack of guilt for a wrongful act: declaring himself innocent on all charges; an innocent bystander.

Virginal relates to the aspect of innocent pertaining to freedom from immoral behaviour; this word is much more restricted than innocent , however, in specifically referring to chastity or to sexual immaturity, especially in women: his virginal bride. It may have a disapproving tone when this lack might be thought no longer appropriate or inherently admirable: a virginal spinster. Sometimes the word suggests the limpid sweetness of youth: the virginal faces of young girls. Sinless is wider in range than virginal , but more restricted than innocent in pertaining exclusively to freedom from all sorts of behaviour thought immoral: impossible to live a completely sinless life. The word implies a supporting theological view, since what is praised as sinless by one religion might seem pointless or irrelevant to another: ascetics who strove towards a sinless life by abjuring the eating of meat.

Guiltless functions more like innocent . It can refer to freedom from immorality, though without the emphasis of innocent or virginal on youth: a politician guiltless of the more obvious kinds of cynical dealings. The word may also refer emphatically to blamelessness concerning a specific act guiltless of having murdered his wife. The word, however, never substitutes for innocent in legal parlance. In the context of morality, untainted is used more abstractly than the previous words, referring to something that has never been sullied by any sort of harmful influence; in tone it seems more passive than innocent : an attitude untainted by selfish thoughts; a life untainted by scandal. The word has its own concrete relevance to anything pure: water untainted by bacteria.

Irreproachable functions less on a theological or moral level than on the level of conduct, indicating a general propriety of behaviour: an irreproachable teacher where her interests in the students is concerned; a formal dinner that was irreproachable in every respect. Blameless operates, like irreproachable , in the sphere of ethics or conduct: blameless manners; a blameless life, finding him blameless of having caused the accident. Blameless , however, is more restricted to a simple lack of fault, whereas irreproachable may suggest a positive attainment of excellence: blameless but full acting, irreproachable taste that was astonishing for its flair.