guilt

American  

[gilt] / gɪlt /

noun

1. the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, especially against moral or penal law; culpability.

   He admitted his guilt.

   Antonyms:

   innocence

2. a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.

3. conduct involving the commission of such crimes, wrongs, etc..

   to live a life of guilt.

   Synonyms:

   criminality

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verb (used with object)

Informal.

1. to cause to feel guilty (often followed by out orinto ).

   She totally guilted me out, dude. He guilted me into picking up the tab.

guilt British  

/ ɡɪlt /

noun

1. the fact or state of having done wrong or committed an offence

2. responsibility for a criminal or moral offence deserving punishment or a penalty

3. remorse or self-reproach caused by feeling that one is responsible for a wrong or offence

4. archaic sin or crime

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Other Word Forms

• nonguilt noun
• preguilt noun

Etymology

Origin of guilt

First recorded before 1000; Middle English gilt, Old English gylt “offense”

Example Sentences

That makes sense: Mr. Scorsese’s work bristled with New York sin, guilt and violence, while the author’s three subjects were all schooled and made their homes and films in California.

From The Wall Street Journal

Casting Hannibal as an implacable enemy of Rome from his earliest childhood merely served to assuage Roman guilt for Carthage’s terrible end.

From The Wall Street Journal

Camille has been angry with Mom all summer, convinced of her guilt in a way that both surprised and depressed me.

From Literature

Continuing indefinitely out of guilt is neither noble nor practical; instead, it puts everyone else’s needs above your own.

From MarketWatch

Caroline Rees KC, prosecuting, said: "Morgan has spun a web of lies and deceit in an attempt to cover up his guilt."

From BBC

Related Words

• culpability
• disgrace
• indiscretion
• liability
• regret
• remorse
• responsibility
• shame
• sin
• stigma