GUILTS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

guilt

noun

ˈgilt

Definition of guilt

as in remorse

a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing he was wracked with guilt after he accidentally broke his sister's antique grandfather clock

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as in blame

responsibility for wrongdoing or failure the chief financial officer was saddled with the guilt for the company's failure

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of guilt In the ad, Yang unloads on his therapist, played by comedienne Ana Gasteyer, about his guilt over gatekeeping a really fantastic beauty product from the group chat. — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026 In fact, Lizzie — who is here credited with a third axe murder on top of her father and stepmother — was acquitted at her trial, though her guilt remains disputed to this day. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026 Kosowski elected to represent himself and waived his right to a jury trial, opting to have a judge determine his guilt or innocence. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 The flames of perdition, fueled by guilt, estrangement, and repression, lap at society’s sham institutions and flimsy fronts of civility. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guilt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for guilt

Noun

Prosecutors sharply disputed that portrayal, arguing Flynn has never accepted responsibility or shown genuine remorse.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Sometimes a judge will do that if a defendant credibly expresses remorse for his crimes.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of remorse

Noun

Israel’s agencies and transportation minister have traded blame over who was responsible for screening the flight, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a review of aviation security.

— Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Whether blame should be apportioned to Darden, private equity, or hedge funds, Red Lobster is still dealing with the repercussions of the deal.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of blame

Noun

Chisholm's quote came roughly 24 hours after catcher Austin Wells seemed to have no regrets about making the final out at third by attempting to stretch an eighth-inning double, the Yankees' first and only hit of Game 1, into a triple.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Fair Ones is set in the aftermath of their longtime friend Claire’s death, as Mara and Jen, two Brooklyn women in their forties, are off kilter, cycling through shock, numbness, denial, distraction, anger, isolation, regret, depression.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of regret

Noun

The question is whether the media will ever learn from their mistakes or answer for their culpability.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Prevailing xenophobic notions of the time would have insisted on Bridget’s culpability, particularly when Irish women were seen as more likely to be able to swing an ax than leisurely ladies like Lizzie.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of culpability

Noun

There were flashes of politics and victim blaming, judgment and shame in a case that’s rife with unanswered questions and likely to evolve as more details come to light.

— Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Its main goal is to name and shame businesses with ties to the settlements.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of shame

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“Guilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guilt. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of guilt

noun

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