Explanation at your level:
Guilt is a feeling. You feel bad because you did something wrong. If you break a toy, you might feel guilt. It is a sad feeling in your heart.
When you make a mistake, you feel guilt. It is like being sorry. For example, if you eat your friend's snack without asking, you feel guilt. You want to say sorry to make the feeling go away.
Guilt is the emotion we feel when we think we have done something bad. It is different from shame because guilt is about what you did, not who you are. It often makes people want to apologize or fix the problem.
Guilt is a complex social emotion. It acts as a moral regulator, helping us maintain healthy relationships by encouraging us to take responsibility for our actions. When people feel guilty, they are often motivated to perform 'reparative' behaviors to restore balance.
Beyond simple remorse, guilt can be a pervasive psychological state. In literature and philosophy, it is often explored as a burden that influences human behavior, sometimes leading to self-sabotage or extreme personal growth. It is distinct from regret, as it implies a moral judgment against one's own conduct.
The phenomenology of guilt is a subject of deep study in ethics and psychoanalysis. It represents an internal conflict between the ego and the superego, where the individual internalizes social prohibitions. This 'guilt-consciousness' is a cornerstone of civilized society, acting as a deterrent against antisocial behavior while simultaneously being a source of significant existential angst.
واژه در 30 ثانیه
- Guilt is an emotion of remorse.
- It is an uncountable noun.
- It helps us maintain morals.
- Don't confuse it with shame.
Have you ever done something you wish you hadn't? That heavy, sinking feeling in your chest is exactly what we call guilt. It is a very human emotion that acts like an internal alarm system, letting us know when we have stepped outside of our personal or societal rules.
While it is never fun to feel guilty, it actually serves a very important purpose. Guilt is what pushes us to apologize, fix our mistakes, and become better people. Without it, we might not care as much about how our actions impact the people around us. Think of it as your moral compass giving you a little nudge when you've gone off-track.
The word guilt has deep roots in Old English, coming from the word gylt, which meant 'crime,' 'sin,' or 'moral delinquency.' Interestingly, in early Germanic languages, the word was closely tied to the concept of 'debt' or 'payment.'
This is a fascinating historical connection because, even today, we often talk about 'paying for our sins' or 'making restitution.' The idea is that when you commit a wrong, you owe a debt to the person you hurt or to society at large. Over centuries, the word shifted from describing a legal 'crime' to describing the internal, psychological experience of feeling responsible for that crime.
In everyday conversation, we use guilt in a few different ways. You might feel 'a sense of guilt' after eating an entire cake, or you might suffer from 'survivor's guilt' if you were lucky in a bad situation. It is a very common word in both casual chats and serious psychological discussions.
Common collocations include verbs like admit, feel, or experience guilt. You can also describe it with adjectives like intense, lingering, or unnecessary. Whether you are talking about a small mistake or a major moral failure, guilt is the standard term used to describe that specific, remorseful state of mind.
1. Guilt trip: Trying to make someone feel bad so they do what you want. Example: 'Stop trying to guilt trip me into cleaning your room!'
2. Clear conscience: Having no guilt. Example: 'I can sleep at night because I have a clear conscience.'
3. Heavy heart: Feeling sad or guilty. Example: 'He left the meeting with a heavy heart.'
4. Eat away at someone: When guilt slowly bothers you. Example: 'The secret began to eat away at her.'
5. A guilty pleasure: Something you enjoy but feel slightly ashamed of. Example: 'Watching reality TV is my guilty pleasure.'
Guilt is an uncountable noun, which means you generally don't say 'a guilt' or 'guilts.' Instead, we use phrases like 'a sense of guilt' or 'feelings of guilt' if we need to quantify it. It is often used with the preposition 'of' (e.g., 'the guilt of lying').
Pronounced /ɡɪlt/, it rhymes with built, quilt, tilt, wilt, and stilt. The 'u' is silent, which is a classic English spelling quirk! The stress is always on the single syllable, making it a quick, sharp word to say.
Fun Fact
The 'u' was added later to indicate the 'g' is hard.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'i' sound, silent 'u'.
Same as UK, crisp 't'.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'u'
- Rhyming with 'fault'
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Common word.
Easy to use.
Easy to pronounce.
Clear sounds.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
پیشرفته
Grammar to Know
Uncountable Nouns
Guilt is uncountable.
Adjective usage
Guilty person.
Prepositional phrases
Overcome with guilt.
Examples by Level
I feel guilt.
I feel bad.
Simple subject-verb-noun.
She has guilt.
She feels bad.
Use 'has' for feelings.
No guilt here.
I am not sorry.
Noun usage.
He felt guilt.
He was sorry.
Past tense.
Guilt is bad.
Feeling sorry is not fun.
Abstract noun.
Stop the guilt.
Don't feel bad.
Imperative.
I show guilt.
I look sorry.
Verb usage.
Why the guilt?
Why are you sorry?
Question structure.
I felt a lot of guilt after the argument.
She couldn't hide her guilt.
He was overcome with guilt.
The guilt was too much for him.
They felt no guilt at all.
I want to get rid of this guilt.
Guilt is a heavy emotion.
She apologized to ease her guilt.
He was consumed by guilt for what he had done.
I have a sense of guilt about not visiting my parents.
She felt a pang of guilt when she saw him crying.
The guilt of the situation kept her awake at night.
He tried to alleviate his guilt by donating money.
Don't let guilt control your life.
She was plagued by guilt for years.
There is no reason for you to feel such guilt.
The weight of his guilt was evident in his trembling voice.
She suffered from survivor's guilt after the accident.
He finally confessed, hoping to purge himself of his guilt.
The politician tried to deflect the guilt onto his assistants.
It's a classic case of guilt by association.
Her guilt manifested as constant anxiety.
He was paralyzed by the guilt of his past mistakes.
They shared the collective guilt of the community.
The protagonist was haunted by the lingering guilt of his betrayal.
She navigated the complexities of guilt and redemption throughout the novel.
His actions were driven by an unconscious need to expiate his guilt.
The moral weight of the decision induced a profound sense of guilt.
He was trapped in a cycle of guilt and self-recrimination.
The psychological toll of his guilt was far greater than any legal punishment.
She struggled to reconcile her actions with her internal sense of guilt.
The narrative explores the corrosive nature of unacknowledged guilt.
The existential guilt he felt was a testament to his deeply ingrained moral code.
She sought absolution to quiet the cacophony of her own guilt.
The societal guilt surrounding the event was palpable and pervasive.
He was a man burdened by the crushing weight of ancestral guilt.
The philosophical inquiry into guilt reveals the fragility of human conscience.
She experienced a cathartic release from her long-standing guilt.
The interplay between guilt and duty defined his entire career.
His remorse was genuine, untainted by the performative nature of public guilt.
ترکیبهای رایج
Idioms & Expressions
"guilt trip"
making someone feel guilty
She gave him a guilt trip.
casual"clear conscience"
no guilt
I have a clear conscience.
neutral"eat away at"
guilt bothering you
The lie ate away at him.
neutral"load off one's mind"
confessing to relieve guilt
Confessing was a load off his mind.
neutral"guilty pleasure"
enjoying something you shouldn't
Chocolate is my guilty pleasure.
casual"bear the brunt"
taking the blame/guilt
He bore the brunt of the criticism.
neutralEasily Confused
Both are negative emotions
Guilt=Action, Shame=Self
Guilt for lying, shame for being a liar.
Both imply sadness
Regret is for missed chances
Regret not going, guilt for breaking something.
Sounds identical
Gilt is gold
The frame was covered in gilt.
Both relate to fault
Blame is external
He blamed me for the guilt.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + feel + guilt
I feel guilt.
Subject + be + overcome with + guilt
He was overcome with guilt.
Subject + have + a sense of + guilt
She had a sense of guilt.
Subject + be + plagued by + guilt
He was plagued by guilt.
Subject + try to + alleviate + guilt
They tried to alleviate their guilt.
خانواده کلمه
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
مرتبط
How to Use It
8/10
Formality Scale
اشتباهات رایج
Guilt is an uncountable noun.
Guilt is about what you did; shame is about who you are.
Feel is more natural for emotions.
Gilt is gold leaf.
Guilty is an adjective.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a 'guilty' person hiding a stone.
Native Speakers
Use 'a sense of guilt' for formal writing.
Cultural Insight
Guilt is often seen as a sign of maturity.
Grammar Shortcut
Never pluralize guilt.
Say It Right
Silent U is key.
Don't Make This Mistake
Do not say 'I have many guilts'.
Did You Know?
Guilt has roots in 'debt'.
Study Smart
Use flashcards with synonyms.
Better Writing
Use 'plagued by guilt' for drama.
Speaking Tip
Pause before saying 'guilt' for emphasis.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
GUILT: Getting Under Intense Life Trouble.
Visual Association
A person with a heavy stone on their back.
Word Web
چالش
Write a sentence about a time you felt guilt.
ریشه کلمه
Old English
Original meaning: Crime or sin
بافت فرهنگی
Can be a heavy topic; use with care.
Commonly discussed in therapy and parenting.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
School
- I feel guilt for cheating
- I want to fix my mistake
Work
- I feel guilt for missing the deadline
- I take responsibility
Relationships
- I feel guilt for hurting you
- Can you forgive me?
Legal
- Admission of guilt
- Finding of guilt
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever felt guilty about something small?"
"Do you think guilt is a good thing?"
"How do you usually handle feelings of guilt?"
"Is it better to feel guilt or to ignore your mistakes?"
"Can guilt be a motivator for success?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you felt guilt and how you resolved it.
Is there a difference between guilt and regret in your life?
Write about a time you felt guilty but realized you shouldn't have.
How does guilt affect your decision-making process?
سوالات متداول
8 سوالNo, it helps us learn.
Apologize and make amends.
No, it is uncountable.
Guilt is what you did; shame is who you are.
No, it is an emotion.
Yes, if you lack remorse.
To keep the 'g' hard.
Yes, it describes deep emotion.
خودت رو بسنج
I feel ___ because I broke the cup.
Guilt is the feeling of being sorry.
Which word means 'feeling sorry for a mistake'?
Guilt is the correct term for remorse.
Is 'guilts' a correct plural form?
Guilt is uncountable.
Word
معنی
These are common idioms.
He was overcome with guilt.
امتیاز: /5
Summary
Guilt is the internal alarm that helps us grow by acknowledging our mistakes.
- Guilt is an emotion of remorse.
- It is an uncountable noun.
- It helps us maintain morals.
- Don't confuse it with shame.
Memory Palace
Imagine a 'guilty' person hiding a stone.
Native Speakers
Use 'a sense of guilt' for formal writing.
Cultural Insight
Guilt is often seen as a sign of maturity.
Grammar Shortcut
Never pluralize guilt.
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این کلمه در زبانهای دیگر
واژههای بیشتر emotions
받아들이다
A2To accept, to embrace, to take in.
아파하다
A2To feel pain or sorrow.
감탄스럽다
A2To be admirable or wonderful; to inspire awe.
감탄
A2Admiration or marvel; a feeling of wonder.
감탄하다
A2To admire or to marvel; to express wonder.
기특하다
B1Admirable for a good deed or thought; commendable.
충고
B1Guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action; advice.
애정
B1Affection; a gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
애틋하다
B2To be tender, fond, or wistful.
살갑다
B2To be warm, friendly, affectionate.
