guilty
adjective
ˈgil-tē 
guiltier; guiltiest
1
: justly chargeable with or responsible for a usually grave breach of conduct or a crime
Does the defendant plead guilty or not guilty?
2
a
: suggesting or involving guilt
The children exchanged guilty looks.
b
: aware of or suffering from guilt
guilty consciences
3
obsolete : justly liable to or deserving of a penalty
guiltily
ˈgil-tə-lē
adverb guiltiness
ˈgil-tē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- ashamed
- shamed
- shamefaced
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Do you think he's innocent or guilty? Will the defendant plead guilty or not guilty? The children exchanged guilty looks. He was acting like someone with a guilty conscience. There's no need to feel guilty about it.
Recent Examples on the Web Last February, three neo-Nazis pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to a scheme to attack the grid with rifles, with each targeting a substation in a different region of the U.S. —
Grace Hauck, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2023 Aiden Fucci, the Florida teen who was set to stand trial for the brutal 2021 murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey on Monday, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in her fatal stabbing. —Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2023 In December, Ellison struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against her. —Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 6 Feb. 2023 The driver, Sequoia Wheeler, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants and fourth-degree assault and had her license suspended for one year. —oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023 Two of his closest advisers, Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, pleaded guilty to fraud in December and have been cooperating with prosecutors for months. —David Yaffe-bellany, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2023 Vernisha Jolivet, 30, who was named as a co-conspirator, has also pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud in connection with the case and was sentenced to six months in prison. —Sonja Sharpstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2023 Molina pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2023 Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon in November 2021. —Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2023 See More
Grace Hauck, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2023 Aiden Fucci, the Florida teen who was set to stand trial for the brutal 2021 murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey on Monday, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in her fatal stabbing. —Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2023 In December, Ellison struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against her. —Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 6 Feb. 2023 The driver, Sequoia Wheeler, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants and fourth-degree assault and had her license suspended for one year. —oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023 Two of his closest advisers, Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang, pleaded guilty to fraud in December and have been cooperating with prosecutors for months. —David Yaffe-bellany, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2023 Vernisha Jolivet, 30, who was named as a co-conspirator, has also pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud in connection with the case and was sentenced to six months in prison. —Sonja Sharpstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2023 Molina pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2023 Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon in November 2021. —Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
see guilt entry 1
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing guilty
Kids Definition
guilty
adjective ˈgil-tē
guiltier; guiltiest
1
: having done wrong
2
a
: suggesting or involving guilt
a guilty manner
b
: aware of or suffering from guilt
a guilty conscience
guiltily
-tə-lē
adverb guiltiness
-tē-nəs
noun Legal Definition
guilty
1 of 2 adjective guiltier; guiltiest
1
: having committed a crime : justly charged with a specified crime
guilty of larceny
2
: involving guilt or culpability
guilty knowledge
guilty
2 of 2 noun1
: a plea of a criminal defendant who does not intend to contest the charges
2
: a verdict of a jury that believes the defendant committed the crime charged compare nolo contendere, not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity
guiltiness
noun
as in guilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- guilt
- sinfulness
- complicity
- blameworthiness
- culpability
- condemnation
- accusation
- blame
- remorse
- censure
- denunciation
- regret
- fault
- onus
- reproach
- rap
- self-reproach
- shame
- finger-pointing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- innocence
- blamelessness
- guiltlessness
- faultlessness
- simpered
- simperer
- simperers
- simpering
- simperingly
- simpers
- simple
- simple beam
- simple bitters
- simple bond
- simple bud
- simple closed curve
- simple consequence
- simple conversion
- schisms
- schist
- schist oil
- schistic
- schisto-
- Schistocephalus
- Schistocerca
- schistocytes
- schistoid
- schistorrhaches
- schistorrhachises