guilt
verb
guilted; guilting; guilts
: to cause (someone) to feel guilty
Don't listen to Mommy. She's trying to guilt you.—
Gary Shteyngart
: to persuade (someone) to do something by causing feelings of guilt
Gary Shteyngartguilted her to visit more often
—often followed by intoA far stronger compulsion is created when people think they're being watched, as a mildly impressive 86 percent of people were guilted into washing their hands in one study.—Steve Lipsher
Steve LipsherExamples of guilt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Adele appreciated the effort and felt compassion for him, also guilt for being more talented.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Bringing up the video stops Kyle in his tracks, and his reaction screams guilt.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 20 May 2026
The musical explores guilt, accountability and the impossible choices of war.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
In the case of Jeffrey Epstein, association seems to imply guilt.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guilt
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Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Bringing up the video stops Kyle in his tracks, and his reaction screams guilt.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 20 May 2026
The musical explores guilt, accountability and the impossible choices of war.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
In the case of Jeffrey Epstein, association seems to imply guilt.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guilt
Cite this Entry
“Guilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guilt. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
guilt
noun
1
: the fact of having done something wrong and especially something that is punishable by law
2
: the state of one who has done something wrong : blameworthiness
3
: a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
guiltless
adjective
-ləs
Medical Definition
guilt
noun
: feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : morbid self-reproach often manifest in marked preoccupation with the moral correctness of one's behavior
aggressive responses originating in inner guilt and uncertainty
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