Synonyms of guilty

guilty

adjective

ˈgil-tē 

as in ashamed

suffering from or expressive of a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing

she was burdened with a guilty conscience after ignoring the stranger's request for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ashamed
• embarrassed
• apologetic
• sorry
• shamefaced
• shamed
• remorseful
• blushing
• repentant
• regretful
• culpable
• contrite
• penitent
• sheepish
• blameworthy
• penitential
• rueful
• compunctious
• blamable
• chagrined
• hangdog

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shameless
• unashamed
• unrepentant
• remorseless
• brazen
• impudent
• innocent
• blameless
• cheeky
• unapologetic
• impenitent
• guiltless

Synonym Chooser

How is the word guilty different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of guilty are blamable, blameworthy, and culpable. While all these words mean "deserving reproach or punishment," guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing.

guilty of a breach of etiquette

How are the words blameworthy and blamable related as synonyms of guilty?

Both blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.

conduct adjudged blameworthy

an accident for which no one is blamable

When could culpable be used to replace guilty?

The words culpable and guilty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence.

culpable neglect

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of guilty

At his sentencing hearing in November, Francis also pleaded guilty to a charge related to his September 2022 escape from house arrest. —Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025

Mangione is expected to plead not guilty at his arraignment on Friday. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025

Timothy Martin, a member of the environmental activist coalition Declare Emergency, was on April 8 found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and of injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit, the Department of Justice reports. —News Desk, Artforum, 9 Apr. 2025

Justin Bradley Durham pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation, according to an April 7 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025