guilty
10 synonyms and 2 antonyms for guilty, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Having committed a wrongdoing or crime.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use guilty
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English gyltiġ ("offending, guilty"), from guilt plus the adjective suffix "-y."
Full origin of guilty →Frequently asked questions
What does “guilty” mean?
The word “guilty” means having committed a wrongdoing or crime. In plain terms, either legally responsible for a crime, or emotionally feeling bad about something you did.
How do you pronounce “guilty”?
“Guilty” is pronounced GIHL-tee (/ˈɡɪl.ti/ in IPA).
How do you use “guilty” in a sentence?
Here is “guilty” used in a sentence: “The jury found him guilty on all counts.”
What is another word for “guilty”?
Words with a similar meaning to “guilty” include shildy, at fault, blameworthy, censurable, culpable and nocent.
What is the opposite of “guilty”?
The opposite of “guilty” — its antonyms — are innocent and praiseworthy.
What part of speech is “guilty”?
“Guilty” is an adjective.
Where does the word “guilty” come from?
The word “guilty” comes from Old English. From Old English gyltiġ ("offending, guilty"), from guilt plus the adjective suffix "-y.".
Is “guilty” a common word?
“Guilty” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between guilty and guilt?
"Guilt" is the noun — the state of having done wrong, or the uneasy feeling that follows it. "Guilty" is the adjective describing someone in that state: a guilty person carries guilt. So you feel guilt, but you are guilty. One names the thing; the other describes who has it.
What is the difference between feeling guilty and being guilty?
The word carries two senses. Being guilty is factual — you actually committed the wrongdoing or crime, whether or not you feel bad. Feeling guilty is emotional — the pang of remorse or self-blame, which you can feel even when you have done nothing wrong. Courts judge the first, not the second.
What is the opposite of guilty?
In the legal sense, the opposite is "innocent" or "not guilty" — cleared of the wrongdoing. For the emotional sense of feeling guilty, opposites include "unashamed," "untroubled," or "clear-conscienced." Which applies depends on whether you mean having committed the act or feeling bad about it.