guilt

guilt

noun \ˈgilt\

Definition of GUILT

1

: the fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty; broadly : guilty conduct

2

a : the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously b : feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : self-reproach

3

: a feeling of culpability for offenses

Examples of GUILT

1. The jury determines the defendant's guilt or innocence.
2. His guilt in the matter was indisputable.
3. It was clear that the guilt lay with him.
4. a strong sense of guilt
5. She feels guilt over something that happened before she was born!
6. our secret guilts and insecurities

Origin of GUILT

Middle English, delinquency, guilt, from Old English gylt delinquency

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to GUILT

Synonyms: contriteness, contrition, penitence, regret, remorse, remorsefulness, repentance, rue, self-reproach, shame

Antonyms: impenitence, remorselessness

Related Words: compunction, misgiving, prick, qualm, scruple; blame, culpability, fault; liability, rap, responsibility; chagrin, embarrassment; anguish, distress, grief, ruth, sadness, sorrow; bloodguilt, bloodguiltiness; apology, excuses, hand-wringing, mea culpa

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Rhymes with GUILT

built, gilt, hilt, jilt, kilt, lilt, milt, quilt, silt, stilt, tilt, wilt