guilty
GIHL-tee
Guilty (adj) means having committed a wrongdoing or crime. Example: “The jury found him guilty on all counts.”
adj
1
Having committed a wrongdoing or crime.
"The jury found him guilty on all counts."
"The court decided the driver was guilty of ignoring the traffic signal."
"If you are found guilty, you may have to pay a fine."
2
Feeling responsible for having done something wrong.
"She felt guilty about eating the last slice of cake."
"He looked guilty the moment his mother asked who broke the vase."
"I feel guilty for forgetting my friend's birthday again this year."
How to use guilty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither legally responsible for a crime, or emotionally feeling bad about something you did.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
plead guilty
guilty conscience
guilty pleasure
guilty as charged
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Word forms
- Plural
- guilties
- Comparative
- guiltier, more guilty
- Superlative
- guiltiest, most guilty
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The jury found him _____ on all counts.
Etymology
From Old English gyltiġ ("offending, guilty"), from guilt plus the adjective suffix "-y."
Synonyms
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responsible
in the wrong
shamed
hangdog
shildy
at fault
blameworthy
censurable
culpable
nocent
reprehensible
to blame
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for guilty
See all rhymes for 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.
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