driven by guilt

USAGE SUMMARY

"driven by guilt" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe someone who is motivated or compelled by a strong feeling of guilt. For example, "John was driven by guilt to confess to the crime, despite being innocent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Film

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

See? Driven by guilt, too.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Driven by guilt, she forces herself to be reproachful to Angelica, whom she has not visited in seven years.

The New York Times - Arts

One feels Singer, driven by guilt and pity and a doom-filled exhilaration, trying to gather up everything that was lost.

The New Yorker

She knows Berl is driven by guilt and desire, but thinks, according to his lawyer, that he's "cuter than a speckled pup".

The New York Times - Books

The homeless Zoli, driven by guilt and shame, drifts from Slovakia to Austria to Italy and finally, old and at peace with herself, to France.

The Guardian - Books

Driven by guilt, Jenny is from this point onwards on a mission to find who this woman was, to notify her family, anything to soothe her conscience.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Desperately lonely, Katya commits adultery and is driven by her guilt to drown herself in the Volga.

The New York Times

That was the essence of "effective multiculturalism": not a superficial exchange of festivals and foods driven by liberal guilt, but something else entirely — an encounter with human desires in all their complexity.

The New York Times - Magazine

His former student was perhaps driven by the guilt of seeing the success of his own typeface, Gill Sans, which he admitted had been heavily based on Johnston's work.

The Guardian - Arts

Driven by the guilt he feels over this very modern act of viral marketing, the old monk strips away layer after layer of his own self-deception and in doing so tells a curious story of fathers and sons or, rather, fathers and son: the fathers adoptive, false or feigning; the son dependent but undependable.

The Guardian - Books

Aaron can say: "Maybe my lack of success in entrepreneurship was driven by my guilt and if I put aside the dangers for my family, I may allow myself to recognize that I am also doing this for them".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "driven by guilt", ensure the context clearly establishes the source of the guilt and how it influences the character's or entity's actions. Providing specific details enhances the reader's understanding and the narrative's impact.

Common error

Avoid oversimplifying motivations by attributing actions exclusively to guilt. Characters often act due to a complex mix of emotions, including fear, obligation, or a desire for redemption. Acknowledge these nuances for richer character development.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "driven by guilt" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating the reason or motivation behind an action or behavior. It highlights that the subject's actions are significantly influenced by feelings of guilt. Ludwig AI confirms the correct usage of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Books

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

4%

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "driven by guilt" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe actions motivated by feelings of culpability. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is correct and common across various contexts, particularly in news and media, literature, and general writing. While alternative phrases like "motivated by remorse" or "compelled by conscience" exist, "driven by guilt" effectively conveys a sense of powerful influence stemming from guilt. When employing this phrase, clarity in expressing the source and impact of the guilt is crucial for enhancing understanding and narrative depth. Furthermore, it's important to avoid oversimplifying character motivations by attributing actions solely to guilt, recognizing the complexity of human emotions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pushed by a guilty conscience

Expands on the concept of guilt by specifying "guilty conscience" as the driving force.

motivated by remorse

Changes the driving force to "remorse" instead of "guilt", focusing on the feeling of deep regret.

compelled by conscience

Shifts the focus to "conscience" as the compelling factor, emphasizing moral obligation.

guided by feelings of guilt

Replaces "driven" with "guided", suggesting a more subtle influence of guilt.

actuated by culpability

Replaces "guilt" with "culpability", using a more formal and legalistic term.

prompted by regret

Focuses on "regret" as the prompting emotion, suggesting a sense of sorrow and repentance.

moved by contrition

Uses "contrition" to highlight the feeling of sincere remorse and repentance for wrongdoing.

influenced by shame

Emphasizes "shame" as the influencing emotion, highlighting a feeling of disgrace or dishonor.

burdened by guilt

Focuses on the feeling of being weighed down or oppressed by guilt.

spurred by self-reproach

Replaces "guilt" with "self-reproach", focusing on the act of blaming oneself.

FAQs

How can I use "driven by guilt" in a sentence?

You can use "driven by guilt" to describe a character's motivation, like "Driven by guilt over his past actions, he dedicated his life to helping others."

What are some alternatives to "driven by guilt"?

You can use alternatives like "motivated by remorse", "compelled by conscience", or "actuated by culpability" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "motivated from guilt" instead of "driven by guilt"?

While "motivated from guilt" is understandable, "driven by guilt" is more common and idiomatic. "Driven by" suggests a stronger, more compelling force.

What's the difference between "driven by guilt" and "racked by guilt"?

"Driven by guilt" implies that guilt is a motivating factor, while "racked by guilt" suggests that someone is suffering intensely because of guilt. The first describes motivation, and the second describes emotional distress.