1
as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
he was wracked with guilt after he accidentally broke his sister's antique grandfather clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
the chief financial officer was saddled with the guilt for the company's failure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of guilt
Striving for perfection only exacerbated the sense of guilt.
—
Ben Morse, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
Jurors who voted to acquit Karen Read of the most serious charges said prosecutors failed to convince them of her guilt, while prosecutors accused Read's supporters of weakening their case.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 2025
In very unhinged behavior, Lucy tracks Sophie down (after her boss expressly tells her the client doesn't want any contact whatsoever), and unsurprisingly, Sophie admonishes her for invading her privacy in an attempt to absolve her feelings of guilt.
—Aisha Harris, NPR, 21 June 2025
The Holocaust looms over discussions about Israel, with many claiming the country’s sense of historical guilt has made it, until recently, reluctant to criticize Israeli politics.
—Agnes Mueller, The Conversation, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for guilt
Ben Morse, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
Jurors who voted to acquit Karen Read of the most serious charges said prosecutors failed to convince them of her guilt, while prosecutors accused Read's supporters of weakening their case.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 2025
In very unhinged behavior, Lucy tracks Sophie down (after her boss expressly tells her the client doesn't want any contact whatsoever), and unsurprisingly, Sophie admonishes her for invading her privacy in an attempt to absolve her feelings of guilt.
—Aisha Harris, NPR, 21 June 2025
The Holocaust looms over discussions about Israel, with many claiming the country’s sense of historical guilt has made it, until recently, reluctant to criticize Israeli politics.
—Agnes Mueller, The Conversation, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for guilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guilt
Noun
-
Buyer's remorse does not create a felony conviction and a life sentence.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
-
But while visitors may find plenty of reasons to feel remorse when their Vegas sojourn ends, absolution might be found in the city’s renewable energy boom.—
Max Bearak,
New York Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
The New York Yankees' infield has underperformed this season, and one of their former top prospects is not free of blame.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
-
Russia has so far refused U.S. proposals for a 30-day ceasefire, and Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while also placing blame on Ukraine for not making a deal to end the fighting.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
But general manager Don Waddell expressed no regrets or disappointment after one trade fell through and several others fizzled out before gaining any traction.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
The part ultimately went to Ariana Grande, but Seyfried has no regrets.—
Daysia Tolentino,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The extension would have detained Gamboa until June 23, but Gill later said his office was unable to decide Gamboa's culpability in the shooting, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
-
The View From Republicans Republicans used their time at the House hearing to accuse the blue-state governors of culpability in the deaths of Americans killed by non-citizens; Democrats often used theirs to say that Trump was shredding the Constitution.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
His parents, Polish immigrants who fled German conquest and discrimination, took Indian land—and felt shame over doing so, having been uprooted themselves.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
-
Their cruelty is wielded without shame or restraint.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guilt. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share