Guilt is a noun with two related meanings. It can refer to the painfulcausing emotional or physical discomfort; unpleasant and hard to bear feeling that comes from believingaccepting something as true in your mind you have done something wrongnot morally right; incorrect or mistaken, or to the fact of having done something wrong.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ɡɪlt/
Easy pronunciation: GILT (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; the whole word is stressed.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Guilt Meaning
the unhappy feeling you get when you think you’ve done something wrong
Part of speech: noun
Definition: remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
Example: She felt guilt after lying to her friend.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- guilt feelings — Refers to the feeling of guilt itself.
- guilty conscience — A conscience troubled by wrongdoing; close in meaning in everyday use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Guilt
Meaning 2
the fact of being responsible for a wrong act
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the state of having committed an offense
Example: The evidence pointed to his guilt.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- guiltiness — A formal or less common word for being guilty or at fault.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Guilt Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- guilt feelings
- guilty conscience
the state of having committed an offense
- guiltiness
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using guilt trip as a synonym for guilt.
- Mixing up the feeling of guilt with the legal or factual state of being guilty.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does guilt mean?
Guilt can mean the painful feeling that comes from believing you did something wrong, or the fact that you actually committed a wrong act.
What are the best synonyms for guilt?
For the feeling, strong synonyms include guilt feelings and guilty conscience. For the state of having done something wrong, guiltiness is the closest supplied synonym.
Is guilt the same as innocence?
No. Innocence is the opposite of guilt when guilt means having committed an offense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-28. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
