guilty pleasure
4 synonyms for guilty pleasure, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Something a person enjoys a great deal while feeling faintly embarrassed about liking it, usually because it is seen as unfashionable, trashy or bad for them.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
indulgence
secret favourite
How to use guilty pleasure
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
my guilty pleasure
a guilty pleasure of mine
guilty pleasure playlist
Neutral and very common in everyday speech and lifestyle writing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a guilty pleasure and an addiction?
A guilty pleasure is a harmless enjoyment that carries a little social embarrassment; you could drop it any time and simply do not want to. An addiction involves loss of control and real damage to health, work or relationships.
Why do people call things guilty pleasures?
Because taste is treated as a signal of who we are. Naming something a guilty pleasure is a way of enjoying it while showing you know it is not considered sophisticated.
Is guilty pleasure always about food?
No. Music, television, books, video games and celebrity gossip are all described this way at least as often as food.
