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guilty pleasure

American  
[gil-tee plezh-er] / ˈgɪl ti ˈplɛʒ ər /

noun

  1. an activity, habit, food, etc., that a person feels shame or guilt for enjoying, often because they feel they will be judged by others.

    TV shows meant for teens are a guilty pleasure many adults just can't get enough of.

    Eating healthfully is important, but treating yourself to a guilty pleasure from time to time is definitely not a crime.


Etymology

Origin of guilty pleasure

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

When we decided to rank the best Los Angeles movies, we thought 101 titles would be plenty: room enough for undeniable classics, personal obsessions, even a guilty pleasure or two.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 13, 2026

It’s Seyfried who elevates “The Housemaid” from guilty pleasure status, making it an exhilarating enigma at one moment and genuinely affecting the next.

From Salon Jan. 31, 2026

It is very much a guilty pleasure of mine.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 1, 2025

She said that TikTok was "everyone's guilty pleasure".

From BBC Dec. 3, 2024

She found a guilty pleasure in the humility he had cloaked himself in since Amala gave birth.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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