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• guilt trip
  guilt trip

  noun

  a feeling of guilt or responsibility, especially one not justified by reality.
• guilt-trip
  guilt-trip

  verb (used with object)

  to attempt to instill a guilt trip in; play upon the guilt feelings of.

guilt trip

¹ American  

noun

1. Informal. a feeling of guilt or responsibility, especially one not justified by reality.

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guilt-trip ² American  

[gilt-trip] / ˈgɪltˌtrɪp /

verb (used with object)

guilt-tripped, guilt-tripping

1. Informal. to attempt to instill a guilt trip in; play upon the guilt feelings of.

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Etymology

Origin of guilt-trip

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

"She always used to guilt trip us about it."

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024

She even defies her father when he tries and fails to guilt trip her into not going to Sarah Lawrence.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2024

But following the children in these fictions, who didn’t create the conditions of their suffering, isn’t just a devastating guilt trip.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2023

So it boils down to finding the folks who will see your pitch as an opportunity, not as a guilt trip.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2022

Rather than giving me a guilt trip, Diego said, “Any time,” and I knew he meant it.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson