Synonyms of guilt

guilt

noun

ˈgilt 

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

• remorse
• regret
• shame
• remorsefulness
• sadness
• grief
• repentance
• contrition
• penitence
• sorrow
• self-reproach
• anguish
• blame
• contriteness
• apology
• rue
• culpability
• responsibility
• compunction
• embarrassment
• qualm
• scruple
• misgiving
• distress
• prick
• chagrin
• fault
• excuses
• liability
• ruth
• bloodguilt
• rap
• bloodguiltiness
• hand-wringing
• mea culpa

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impenitence
• remorselessness

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

• blame
• culpability
• fault
• onus
• complicity
• sinfulness
• accusation
• rap
• guiltiness
• condemnation
• remorse
• regret
• censure
• blameworthiness
• denunciation
• shame
• reproach
• self-reproach
• finger-pointing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocence
• blamelessness
• guiltlessness
• faultlessness

Example Sentences

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