guilt
guilt Lexical Profile
guilt Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A painful feeling of remorse, self-reproach, or uneasiness caused by the belief that one has done something wrong or failed in an obligation.
"She felt a sudden wave of guilt for forgetting her best friend's birthday."
The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense, crime, or moral wrong; legal or moral culpability.
"The prosecutor presented clear forensic evidence to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."
• verb
To make (someone) feel guilty, especially in order to induce or manipulate them into doing something (informal).
"He guilted his brother into helping him move the heavy furniture over the weekend."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'guilt' with its homophone 'gilt' (a thin layer of gold or gold paint). In psychology and ethics, 'guilt' refers to remorse over a specific action ('I made a mistake'), whereas 'shame' refers to a broader negative judgment of one's own character ('I am a bad person').
• Rhymes for guilt
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'gylt', meaning a crime, sin, offense, or failure of duty, of uncertain Germanic origin.