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
guilty
adjective
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
Relevance
- ashamed
- shamed
- embarrassed
- shamefaced
- apologetic
- remorseful
- sorry
- blushing
- culpable
- repentant
- regretful
- penitent
- contrite
- sheepish
- blameworthy
- chagrined
- penitential
- rueful
- blamable
- compunctious
- hangdog
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shameless
- unashamed
- unrepentant
- remorseless
- innocent
- brazen
- blameless
- impudent
- unapologetic
- impenitent
- guiltless
- cheeky
Synonym Chooser
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
Both blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.
conduct adjudged blameworthy
an accident for which no one is blamable
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