Guilt is an unhappy feeling that you have because you have done something wrong or think that you have done something wrong.
Her emotions had ranged from anger to guilt in the space of a few seconds.
Some cancer patients experience strong feelings of guilt.
Synonyms: shame, regret, remorse, contrition More Synonyms of guilt
2. uncountable noun
Guilt is the fact that you have done something wrong or illegal.
The trial is concerned only with the determination of guilt according to criminallaw.
You weren't convinced of Mr Matthews' guilt.
More Synonyms of guilt
guilt in British English
(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
Word origin
Old English gylt, of obscure origin
guilt in American English
(gɪlt)
noun
1.
the state of having done a wrong or committed an offense; culpability, legal or ethical
2.
a painful feeling of self-reproach resulting from a belief that one has done something wrong or immoral
3.
conduct that involves guilt; crime; sin
Word origin
ME gilt < OE gylt, a sin, offense
Examples of 'guilt' in a sentence
guilt
This suggests neither guilt nor innocence ; merely a difficulty.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They're taking the high ground to assuage their feelings of guilt.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This campaign may enable more people in football to feel comfortable in telling their stories and being themselves with no shame or guilt attached.
The Sun (2016)
It should be made clear to the jury that the most important evidence was that which bore directly on the guilt or innocence of the accused person.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The fact that you are in hospital frees you from the guilt and fear that your bosses might think that you're feigning illness.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You become obsessed by your past, trying to deal with feelings of guilt and forgiveness, and freedom and justice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
So this youth will feel no guilt or responsibility.
The Sun (2012)
My sense of shame and guilt worsened.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There were no feelings of remorse or guilt from him at all.
The Sun (2013)
Our job is not to decide innocence or guilt.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
One of the primary feelings expressed was guilt.
McKenzie, James F. & Pinger, Robert R. An Introduction to Community Health (1995)
Any trial would now be a farce as their guilt and punishment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Much more wrenching were the larger issues of guilt and responsibility.
Higonnet, Anne Berthe Morisot (1990)
Memories that elicit feelings of guilt and shame and remorse are continually playing out.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The same was true of his feelings of guilt and remorse.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Neither guilt nor innocence has yet been established.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is common to have feelings of guilt and shame about what happened.
The Sun (2013)
Guilt and anger seem to have been much more the products of his early personal and political failure than the war.
Simon Ball THE GUARDSMEN (2004)
No one feels guilt or responsibility.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He denies criminal guilt but wants to be found sane so that he is sent to prison rather than a secure hospital.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Many of us experience guilt over serious issues, too.
Christianity Today (2000)
But he denies criminal guilt and is due to stand trial in April.
The Sun (2012)
But when the 32-year-old appears in court in capital Oslo today he will deny criminal guilt.
The Sun (2011)
Research shows that they, too, are affected by redundancies and often experience survivor guilt.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There is no sense of shame, no moral guilt, no proper consideration of its insidious impact on the wider integrity of the sport.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Quotations
This is his first punishment, that by the verdict of his own heart no guilty man is acquittedJuvenalSatires
So full of artless jealousy is guilt It spills itself in fearing to be spiltWilliam ShakespeareHamlet
In other languages
guilt
British English: guilt /ɡɪlt/ NOUN
Guilt is an unhappy feeling that you have because you have done something bad.
She felt a lot of guilt about her children's unhappiness.
American English: guilt
Arabic: شُعور الذَنْب
Brazilian Portuguese: culpa
Chinese: 犯罪
Croatian: krivnja
Czech: vina
Danish: skyld
Dutch: schuldgevoel
European Spanish: culpa culpabilidad
Finnish: syyllisyys
French: culpabilité
German: Schuld Gefühl
Greek: ενοχή
Italian: colpa
Japanese: 有罪
Korean: 유죄
Norwegian: skyld
Polish: wina
European Portuguese: culpa
Romanian: vină
Russian: вина
Latin American Spanish: culpa
Swedish: skuld
Thai: ความผิด
Turkish: suçluluk
Ukrainian: провина
Vietnamese: tội
Chinese translation of 'guilt'
guilt
(ɡɪlt)
n(u)
(= remorse) 内(內)疚 (nèijiù)
(= responsibility) 有罪 (yǒuzuì)
1 (noun)
Definition
remorse or self-reproach caused by feeling that one has done something wrong
Her emotions went from anger to guilt in the space of a few seconds.
Synonyms
shame
I don't want to bring shame on the family name.
regret
He has no regrets about retiring.
remorse
She has shown no remorse for her actions.
contrition
She is full of contrition and has vowed to change her ways.
guilty conscience
bad conscience
self-reproach
self-condemnation
guiltiness
Opposites
honour
,
pride
,
self-respect
2 (noun)
Definition
the fact or state of having done wrong
You were never convinced of his guilt, were you?
Synonyms
culpability
He added there was clear culpability on the part of the government.
blame
I could not let an innocent man take the blame for this.
responsibility
They have admitted responsibility for the accident.
misconduct
He was dismissed from his job for gross misconduct.
delinquency
He had no history of delinquency.
criminality
The evils of unemployment have increased criminality in the inner cities.
wickedness
moral arguments about the wickedness of nuclear weapons
They have sunk to new levels of wickedness.
iniquity
He rails against the iniquities of capitalism.
sinfulness
blameworthiness
guiltiness
wrongdoing
The authorities haven't found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Opposites
virtue
,
innocence
,
righteousness
,
sinlessness
,
blamelessness
Quotations
This is his first punishment, that by the verdict of his own heart no guilty man is acquitted [Juvenal – Satires]So full of artless jealousy is guilt It spills itself in fearing to be spilt [William Shakespeare – Hamlet]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blame
Definition
responsibility for something that is wrong
I could not let an innocent man take the blame for this.
Synonyms
responsibility,
liability,
rap (slang),
accountability,
onus,
culpability,
answerability
in the sense of contrition
She is full of contrition and has vowed to change her ways.
Synonyms
regret,
sorrow,
remorse,
repentance,
compunction,
penitence,
self-reproach
in the sense of criminality
The evils of unemployment have increased criminality in the inner cities.