- guilt (about something) the unhappy feelings caused by knowing or thinking that you have done something wrong
- She had feelings of guilt about leaving her children and going to work.
- Many survivors were left with a sense of guilt.
- a guilt complex (= an exaggerated sense of guilt)
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsc1- He had no feelings of guilt over what he had done.
- I knew that the next day I would be consumed with guilt.
- It helped him bear the guilt he felt.
- Talking to her helped to assuage my guilt.
- These actions are merely intended to assuage white liberal guilt.
- They feel a sense of collective guilt for the Holocaust.
- You needn't feel any guilt about me.
- the burden of guilt that she carried with her
- It's important to differentiate between a healthy conscience and a guilt complex.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- intense
- overwhelming
- terrible
- …
- pang
- twinge
- bear
- carry
- be consumed with
- …
- overwhelm somebody
- wash over somebody
- consume somebody
- …
- complex
- feelings
- trip
- …
- guilt about
- guilt at
- guilt over
- …
- a burden of guilt
- a feeling of guilt
- a sense of guilt
- …
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- the fact that somebody has done something illegal
- His guilt was proved beyond all doubt by the prosecution.
- Do you think this statement amounts to an admission of guilt?
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justicec1- It might be difficult to prove his guilt.
- Many of the accused would deny their guilt to the magistrates.
- I took his silence as an admission of guilt.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + guilt- admit
- confess
- deny
- …
- lie
- an admission of guilt
- proof of guilt
- blame or responsibility for doing something wrong or for something bad that has happened
- The investigation will try to find out where the guilt for the disaster really lies.
- There is no doubt as to where the guilt lies.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + guilt- admit
- confess
- deny
- …
- lie
- an admission of guilt
- proof of guilt
Word OriginOld English gylt, of unknown origin.
Idioms
See guilt in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee guilt in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englisha guilt trip
- (informal) things you say to somebody in order to make them feel guilty about something
- Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.
- She was trying to lay a guilt trip on me.
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guilt