1
as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
he was wracked with guilt after he accidentally broke his sister's antique grandfather clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
the chief financial officer was saddled with the guilt for the company's failure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guilt
Everyone is working through some thick layers of grief, anger, and guilt.
—
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Barzee argued the agreement absolved the congresswoman of guilt.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
—Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
And at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, there's also a new Kids’ Club with indoor and outdoor areas, state-of-the-art Teens’ Club, and babysitting services available for when the grownups need some guilt-free downtime at the spa or on the beach.
—Sheryl Nance Nash, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guilt
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Barzee argued the agreement absolved the congresswoman of guilt.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
—Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
And at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, there's also a new Kids’ Club with indoor and outdoor areas, state-of-the-art Teens’ Club, and babysitting services available for when the grownups need some guilt-free downtime at the spa or on the beach.
—Sheryl Nance Nash, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guilt
Noun
-
Yet if the denial of a driver’s license is based on such arbitrary factors as a victim’s advocacy, or a defendant’s remorse, or public opinion, or the whims of state bureaucrats, the results are inconsistent.—
Rachel Swan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
25 Mar. 2026
-
But the judge said that, given Lau's age, her lack of a criminal record, and her remorse, the sentence was appropriate.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This dynamic, known in counseling circles as partner-blame, is well documented in Christian purity and addiction-recovery literature.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
When voters worry about their wallets, incumbents usually get the blame.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Your position urging Broward County to choose resiliency over regret reflected exactly why so many residents felt compelled to speak up.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
It may be printed out and boxed in a closet, marked with notes and red ink, held together by binder clips and regret.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As written and implemented, these laws place undue burden on proving individual culpability based on smoking-gun evidence of hate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Defense attorneys suggest the culpability of each defendant is in question.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated February 26,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Relieved of their blindfolds, the men now wore heavy rucksacks filled with colored rocks representing their anger (red), guilt and shame (black), and sadness (blue).—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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No matter, this is his first real walk of shame, and the grin on his face is worth a million bucks.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guilt. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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