guilty

adjective \ ˈgil-tē \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: guilty in a Sentence

Definition of guilty

guiltier; guiltiest

1 : justly chargeable with or responsible for a usually grave breach of conduct or a crime

Does the defendant plead guilty or not guilty?

2 obsolete : justly liable to or deserving of a penalty

3 a : suggesting or involving guilt

The children exchanged guilty looks.

b : aware of or suffering from guilt

guilty consciences

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guiltily

play \ˈgil-tə-lē\ adverb

—

guiltiness

play \ˈgil-tē-nəs\ noun

See guilty defined for English-language learners

See guilty defined for kids

Examples of guilty in a Sentence

Do you think he's innocent or guilty?
Will the defendant plead guilty or not guilty?
The children exchanged guilty looks.
He was acting like someone with a guilty conscience.
There's no need to feel guilty about it.

Recent Examples of guilty from the Web

Weinstein pleaded not guilty to three felony counts in New York Supreme Court.

— kenzie bryant, Vanities, "Asia Argento on Anthony Bourdain: “He Was My Love, My Rock, My Protector”," 8 June 2018
The latest: Katina Powell pleads not guilty to charges and is released from jail Powell is accused of stealing checks from Tyre on April 24 and then attempting to cash three of them at Vermont Liquors, according to an arrest citation.

— thomas novelly, The Courier-Journal, "Katina Powell, accused of stealing blank checks, will see grand jury," 7 June 2018
Tan has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is being held without bail, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York.

— jared gilmour, miamiherald, "Teen swapped beer for ‘hunting trip’ shotgun — then used it for murder, NY prosecutors say," 6 June 2018
Manafort has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, money laundering, and tax and bank fraud charges related to his lobbying work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Special counsel Robert Mueller accuses Paul Manafort of trying to tamper with witnesses," 5 June 2018
Trump’s former campaign chairman – who has pleaded not guilty to nearly two dozen charges related to money laundering, bank fraud, and foreign lobbying – was released on home confinement and $10 million bail following his arraignment in October.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "If Mueller Is Ever Going to Flip Manafort, Now Seems Like the Time," 5 June 2018
Weldon, who is 47, pleaded not guilty to a variety of charges on Tuesday and was held on $1 million bail.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "DA: 2 bodies found in home of man who allegedly held woman captive," 31 May 2018
Snyder and Cortina have both pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to court documents.

— craig lyons, Post-Tribune, "U.S. attorney testifies about indicted Portage mayor's emails," 30 May 2018
Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

— sandra gomez-aceves, courant.com, "Fund Created To Help Paul Manafort Cover Legal Fees In Special Counsel Probe," 30 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'guilty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of guilty

see guilt

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

guilty Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of guilty

blameworthy, blamable, guilty, culpable mean deserving reproach or punishment. blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.

- conduct adjudged blameworthy
- an accident for which no one is blamable

guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing.

- guilty of a breach of etiquette

culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence.

- culpable neglect

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

GUILTY Defined for English Language Learners

guilty

adjective

Definition of guilty for English Language Learners

: responsible for committing a crime or doing something bad or wrong
: showing that you know you have done something bad or wrong
: feeling bad because you have done something bad or wrong or because you believe you have done something bad or wrong

GUILTY Defined for Kids

guilty

adjective \ ˈgil-tē \

Definition of guilty for Students

guiltier; guiltiest

1 : responsible for having done wrong

2 : suffering from or showing bad feelings about having done wrong

I feel guilty about lying.

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guiltily

\-tə-lē\ adverb

Law Dictionary

guilty

adjective

legal Definition of guilty

guiltier; guiltiest

1 : having committed a crime : justly charged with a specified crime

guilty of larceny

2 : involving guilt or culpability

guilty knowledge

guilty

noun

legal Definition of guilty

1 : a plea of a criminal defendant who does not intend to contest the charges

2 : a verdict of a jury that believes the defendant committed the crime charged — compare nolo contendere, not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity