Word: Guilty

Pronunciation

/ˈɡɪlti/

Definitions

• Adjective: 1. Responsible for a crime or wrongdoing; legally culpable. For example: “The jury found him guilty of murder.”
  • 2. Feeling or showing responsibility for a fault or wrong done. For example: “She felt guilty about forgetting her friend’s birthday.”
  • 3. (informal) Fond of something considered morally or socially reprehensible. For example: “I have a guilty pleasure for trashy TV shows.”

Phrases

• “Guilty verdict”: The decision by a court that a defendant is responsible for the crime they were charged with.
• “Feeling guilty”: Experiencing remorse or regret over one’s actions or omissions.
• “Innocent until proven guilty”: A legal principle that a person accused of a crime is considered not guilty unless their guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Example Sentences

• Adjective (legal sense): “After reviewing all the evidence, the judge declared the defendant guilty of embezzlement.”
• Adjective (emotional sense): “Even though it was an accident, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of guilt after breaking his mother’s vase.”
• Adjective (informal sense): “Watching reality TV is my guilty pleasure – I know it’s mindless but it’s so entertaining!”

Synonyms

• Responsible
• Culpable
• Blameworthy
• Remorseful
• Ashamed
• In the wrong
• Sinful (in a moral or religious context)
• Faulty (for non-legal contexts)
• Indicted (formal legal term indicating being charged with a crime)