guilty

adjective \ ˈgil-tē \

|Updated on: 6 Aug 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

Defendants include four former Trump campaign and White House aides, three of whom have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, and 13 Russians accused in a powerful social media campaign to sway U.S. public opinion in 2016.

— CBS News, "Trump responds to Russian hacking indictment by blaming Obama administration," 14 July 2018
Image Two men pleaded guilty on Friday to manslaughter charges in the death of a Fire Department battalion chief in an explosion of a Bronx house that had been used to grow marijuana, the authorities said.

— christopher mele, New York Times, "2 Plead Guilty to Manslaughter in Gas Explosion That Killed a Fire Chief," 13 July 2018
In 2012, a jury found the Hammonds guilty of setting two fires that blazed onto public land; Dwight was sentenced to three months (he was involved only in the first fire) and Steven one year in prison.

— jake bullinger, Outside Online, "Trump’s Pardon Condones Western Rebellion," 12 July 2018
Rosales was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2013 pleading guilty to home invasion and aggravated battery.

— staff report, Elgin Courier-News, "Elgin man gets 28 years for beating that left victims with broken teeth, permanent scars," 12 July 2018
The state allowed McKelvey to plea guilty to the lesser charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and agreed to dismiss the remaining charges against him.

— colin stutz, Billboard, "Charlamagne Tha God's 2001 Rape Case Will Not Be Reopened," 12 July 2018
The conviction rested heavily on the NAB’s unusual rules, in which the defendant is assumed guilty unless proven otherwise.

— The Economist, "Pakistan’s former prime minister embraces jail to rally his party," 12 July 2018
On Monday, a federal jury found Sparks guilty of six counts of theft of trade secrets, six counts of uploading trade secrets and one count of transmitting trade secrets.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "Former Employee Of Groton Defense Contractor Requests New Trial After Conviction For Stealing Navy Secrets," 12 July 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp cheerfully delivers guilty, sweet pleasures for children of all ages.

— noah berlatsky, The Verge, "The best superhero stories admit that superheroes are ridiculous," 11 July 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