Logo
dictionary thesaurus

guilt

noun
\ ˈgilt How to pronounce guilt (audio) \

Definition of guilt

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty A jury will determine the defendant's guilt or innocence. broadly : guilty conduct
2a : the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously His guilt was written in his face.
b : feelings of deserving blame especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : self-reproach
3 : a feeling of deserving blame for offenses Wracked by guilt, he confessed his affairs.

guilt

verb
guilted; guilting; guilts

Definition of guilt (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cause (someone) to feel guilty Don't listen to Mommy. She's trying to guilt you.— Gary Shteyngart : to persuade (someone) to do something by causing feelings of guilt … guilting her to eat her own green beans because "there are starving children in Africa."— Katie Boerema —often followed by into A far stronger compulsion is created when people think they're being watched, as a mildly impressive 86 percent of people were guilted into washing their hands in one study.— Steve Lipsher
Other Words from guilt Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about guilt

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of guilt in a Sentence

Noun

 The jury determines the defendant's guilt or innocence. His guilt in the matter was indisputable. It was clear that the guilt lay with him. a strong sense of guilt She feels guilt over something that happened before she was born! our secret guilts and insecurities
See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 These may include social barriers within the wealthier family, vastly different spending habits, and even guilt for enjoying the benefits of inherited money. — Ben Widdicombe, Town & Country, "Does Succession Get Tom and Shiv's Relationship Right? A Vanderbilt Says Yes.," 11 Aug. 2019 Brenda Sanchez, a 25-year-old lifelong Valley resident, knows that guilt all too well. — Obed Manuel, Dallas News, "U.S. citizen’s detention is a reminder that mixed-status families can feel trapped along the border," 4 Aug. 2019 It should be noted that Hamza bin Laden was not the victim of guilt by association with his father. — Fox News, "Hamza bin Laden 'Al Qaeda's most charismatic figure', death would be 'big brand hit for extremists'," 2 Aug. 2019 Only then can the cloud of shame and guilt be lifted. — Zheala Qayyum, Scientific American, "Where do Psychiatrists go When a Patient Dies?," 30 July 2019 Yokohama had many guilt-edged opportunities in the first half, and City had to make last ditch tackles. — SI.com, "Yokohama F. Marinos 1-3 Man City: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Kevin De Bruyne Stars in Tricky Win," 27 July 2019 His body has been wracked by the pain of a hip replacement, his mind tortured by the anguish of public shaming, hatred, and guilt. — Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, "Floyd Landis Still Has a Lot to Say," 19 July 2019 The car: Freedom and guilt The car’s symbolism needs little explaining, especially not to American audiences. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz at Work, "Get to know the symbolism in your daily commute," 11 July 2019 The film leads up to the 2002 confession of the true criminal who attacked the Central Park jogger, whose guilt was confirmed by DNA evidence. — oregonlive.com, "‘Stranger Things’ and more shows you need to binge during TV’s 2019 summer slump," 9 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'guilt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of guilt

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for guilt

Noun

Middle English, delinquency, guilt, from Old English gylt delinquency

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for guilt

guilt

noun
How to pronounce guilt (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of guilt

: responsibility for a crime or for doing something bad or wrong
: a bad feeling caused by knowing or thinking that you have done something bad or wrong

See the full definition for guilt in the English Language Learners Dictionary

guilt

noun
\ ˈgilt How to pronounce guilt (audio) \

Kids Definition of guilt

1 : responsibility for having done something wrong and especially something against the law He admitted his guilt.
2 : a feeling of shame or regret as a result of bad conduct

Other Words from guilt

guiltless \ -​ləs \ adjective

guilt

noun
\ ˈgilt How to pronounce guilt (audio) \

Medical Definition of guilt

: feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : morbid self-reproach often manifest in marked preoccupation with the moral correctness of one's behavior aggressive responses originating in inner guilt and uncertainty

WORD OF THE DAY

jeopardize

play

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!