Synonyms of guilty

guilty

adjective

ˈgil-tē 

as in ashamed

suffering from or expressive of a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing

she was burdened with a guilty conscience after ignoring the stranger's request for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ashamed
• embarrassed
• apologetic
• sorry
• shamefaced
• shamed
• remorseful
• blushing
• repentant
• regretful
• culpable
• contrite
• penitent
• sheepish
• blameworthy
• penitential
• rueful
• compunctious
• blamable
• chagrined
• hangdog

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shameless
• unashamed
• unrepentant
• remorseless
• brazen
• impudent
• innocent
• blameless
• cheeky
• unapologetic
• impenitent
• guiltless

Synonym Chooser

How is the word guilty different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of guilty are blamable, blameworthy, and culpable. While all these words mean "deserving reproach or punishment," guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing.

guilty of a breach of etiquette

How are the words blameworthy and blamable related as synonyms of guilty?

Both blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.

conduct adjudged blameworthy

an accident for which no one is blamable

When could culpable be used to replace guilty?

The words culpable and guilty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence.

culpable neglect

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of guilty

Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty on June 13 to smuggling charges that his attorneys have characterized as an attempt to justify his mistaken deportation in March to a notorious prison in El Salvador. —Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025

David Yannetti, one of Read’s attorneys, reiterated Thursday that while his client was found not guilty of O’Keefe’s killing, there might still be more to be done. —Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 21 June 2025

Read was also found not guilty of drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident. —Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025

Weinstein pleaded not guilty to all charges in his retrial; both Haley and Mann testified against him again. —Michaela Zee, Variety, 12 June 2025