guilt-trip
verb
guilt-tripped; guilt-tripping; guilt-trips
: to cause feelings of guilt in (someone) : to try to manipulate the behavior of (someone) by causing feelings of guilt : guilt
How often have we been guilt-tripped into giving people generic birthday greetings on their walls even if they are just casual acquaintances?—
Michael Grothaus
Michael Grothaus
guilt-tripping
noun
Americans may be susceptible to moral and religious guilt-tripping, but they don't want a theocracy.
—Ellen Willis
Ellen Willis
Examples of guilt-trip in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is what we’ve been told time and again, in movies and TV shows from Mommie Dearest and Carrie to Mad Men and The Sopranos, where the mother monster shows up in all her pill-popping, guilt-tripping, fright wig-wearing splendor to wreak havoc on her innocent children’s—and our—psyches.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
In the present, her mother lies to her church friends about Audrey’s nonexistent medical career, pressures her to date a nice and rich but hopelessly boring divorcé and guilt-trips Audrey into extending her stay.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
The dramatic declaration earned more than 44,000 likes as viewers instantly recognized the classic golden retriever guilt-trip.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Don’t fall for every sob story, and don’t let someone guilt-trip you out of your boundaries.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 12 Oct. 2025
The first-time host has a novel plan to guilt-trip award winners into keeping things short and sweet.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
On top of that, the poster's mother-in-law and sister-in-laws have been guilt-tripping her about her breastfeeding choices.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 28 June 2025
The following are the four most prevalent tactics narcissists employ to guilt-trip, as well as how to identify these patterns:
MORE FOR YOU
1.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Otherwise, this jealousy can escalate into toxic behaviors, like guilt-tripping you for making plans that don’t include them.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 28 Mar. 2025
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Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
In the present, her mother lies to her church friends about Audrey’s nonexistent medical career, pressures her to date a nice and rich but hopelessly boring divorcé and guilt-trips Audrey into extending her stay.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
The dramatic declaration earned more than 44,000 likes as viewers instantly recognized the classic golden retriever guilt-trip.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Don’t fall for every sob story, and don’t let someone guilt-trip you out of your boundaries.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 12 Oct. 2025
The first-time host has a novel plan to guilt-trip award winners into keeping things short and sweet.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
On top of that, the poster's mother-in-law and sister-in-laws have been guilt-tripping her about her breastfeeding choices.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 28 June 2025
The following are the four most prevalent tactics narcissists employ to guilt-trip, as well as how to identify these patterns:
MORE FOR YOU
1.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Otherwise, this jealousy can escalate into toxic behaviors, like guilt-tripping you for making plans that don’t include them.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guilt-trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guilt-trip. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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