Word

guilt

noun C1

/ɡɪlt/

Meanings

noun

the unpleasant feeling of having done something wrong or having harmed someone

noun

responsibility for a wrongdoing or an offense

Definition

Guilt is the unhappy feeling of having done something wrong or having harmed someone.

Guilt is a painful feeling that comes from believing you have done something wrong or failed to do what you should have done. It often involves self-blame and a desire to make amends. People may also talk about guilt as the responsibility for a wrong action, not just the emotion.

Examples

I felt a wave of guilt after I took credit for my colleague’s idea in the meeting.
You can’t carry guilt forever; at some point, you need to apologize and move forward.
He spoke calmly, but his guilt showed in the way he avoided everyone’s eyes.
She tried to hide her guilt by joking, yet her voice kept breaking at key moments.
They were overwhelmed by guilt when they realized their silence had enabled the bullying.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse guilt (feeling responsible for doing wrong) with shame (feeling bad about who you are).