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Definition of guilty

guilty

/ˈɡɪl.ti/
guilt · y
Adverb:guiltily
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guilty Lexical Profile

guilty Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Culpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoing, crime, or offense.

Example

"The jury found the defendant guilty of fraud after three days of deliberation."

2

Experiencing or showing feelings of remorse, regret, or self-reproach for a perceived or actual offense.

Example

"She felt guilty about forgetting her best friend's birthday."

3

Accompanied by or causing a mild feeling of shame or self-consciousness despite being enjoyable.

Example

"Reading vintage romance novels on rainy afternoons was her favorite guilty pleasure."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for guilty

• Nearby Words

guiltiness
guiltless
guiltlessly
guilty
guinea
guinea pig
guinea-bissau

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English gyltig ('liable, culpable'), derived from gylt ('offense, crime, failure of duty'), of uncertain ultimate Germanic origin.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Guilty. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/guilty
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