guilty
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What does guilty mean?
If you’re guilty, it means you were responsible for doing something wrong, especially a crime. If you’re found guilty, it means a jury has officially decided that you committed a crime. If you feel guilty, it means you feel bad about something you shouldn’t have done or should have done but didn’t.
In a legal context, guilty is the opposite of innocent (not guilty). It is often used in an official sense, but not always.
Example: Once when I was a kid I shoplifted a stick of gum from the store and felt so guilty about it that I was crying by the time I got home.
Where does guilty come from?
Guilty is an old word. It is believed to have been in use since before the year 1000. It is based on the noun guilt, which ultimately comes from the Old English gylt, meaning “offense.” The suffix -y is used to turn the noun into an adjective.
If you’re guilty, it means you did it. In legal usage, labeling someone guilty usually indicates that it has been officially determined—without a doubt—that they have committed a crime. In the United States, a person suspected of a crime has the right to be “presumed innocent until proven guilty.” This means a jury should only find a person guilty if there is indisputable evidence—meaning absolute proof.
A person found guilty is sometimes called the guilty party (in which party refers to a person or group). This phrase is also used outside of the courtroom. In everyday contexts, guilty is often used in a less official and often less serious way to refer to someone who’s responsible for some offense, as in I’m definitely guilty of snacking too much. But it can be serious, as in You may not have committed a crime, but you’re guilty of ruining this company.
Guilty is also used to describe the feeling of guilt or regret. For example, a person may feel guilty for something they did (like breaking a vase and lying about it) or something they didn’t do (like missing their friend’s birthday party). Feeling guilty often happens when the truth is hidden, as in the case of the vase, and this idea is what’s implied in the phrase guilty conscience.
A less serious use of guilty is found in the phrase guilty pleasure, which is something that you enjoy but feel a little embarrassed or shameful about.
Did you know …?
What are some other forms related to guilty?
- guilt (noun)
- guiltier (adjective, comparative form)
- guiltiest (adjective, superlative form)
- guiltily (adverb)
- guiltiness (noun)
- overguilty (adjective)
- quasi-guilty (adverb)
What are some synonyms for guilty?
- remorseful
- regretful
- guilt-ridden
What are some words that share a root or word element with guilty?
What are some words that often get used in discussing guilty?
What are some words guilty may be commonly confused with?
How is guilty used in real life?
In a legal context, the word guilty shouldn’t be used lightly, since it implies a certainty of guilt. In normal conversation, guilty is often used in the context of lesser offenses or a feeling of regret.
"We should wait for a court of law to decide/Innocent until proven guilty" is well and good when you're talking about potentially imprisoning someone. Not so much when it's a matter of deciding whether to provide a potential victim protection and emotional support.
— Lorenz Carst 🌼 🐍 💫 🏳️⚧️ (@SyeraMiktayee) February 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/okaishawty/status/1231715961457135616.
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1209909487244472320
Try using guilty!
Is guilty used correctly in the following sentence?
“He didn’t cause the accident, but he still feels guilty.”