adj
guilty
GIHL-tee
adj
1
Having committed a wrongdoing or crime.
"The jury found him guilty on all counts."
2
Feeling responsible for having done something wrong.
"She felt guilty about eating the last slice of cake."
"He looked guilty the moment his mother asked who broke the vase."
How to Use Guilty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither legally responsible for a crime, or emotionally feeling bad about something you did.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
plead guilty
guilty conscience
guilty pleasure
guilty as charged
Word Forms
guiltier comparative, more guilty comparative, guilties plural, guiltiest superlative, most guilty superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “guilty”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The jury found him _____ on all counts.
Etymology
From Old English gyltiġ ("offending, guilty"), from guilt plus the adjective suffix "-y."