guilt
(noun)
LISTEN
- The robber admitted his guilt.
Guilt is also the feeling of remorse for doing something wrong.
- When Sean's mom asked if he ate the last cookie, he had the look of guilt on his face.
Guilt is also responsibility or blame.
- The guilt lies with the perpetrator, not the victim.
Common uses
guilt by association: guilt determined by the people someone associates with–not the evidence. Example: “When you accuse someone of a crime because of the crimes of their family, it’s guilt by association.”
Don't confuse it with
gilt: covered with gold. Example: “The king’s portrait was in a gilt frame.”
Related words
guilty: having a feeling of guilt. Example: “After Ted lied to his wife, he had a guilty conscience.”
In pop culture
Guilty by Suspicion is a film about the film industry in the 1950s and how the US government blacklisted many artists (prevented them from working on films) accused of being Communists. Watch the trailer:
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