guilty

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "guilty" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used as an adjective meaning "culpable of or responsible for a crime or offense". Example sentence: The defendant was found guilty of embezzlement and sentenced to five years in prison.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was found not guilty.

The New York Times - Sports

Referred to in court as D, she entered a not guilty plea to a charge of intimidation last week while wearing a niqab after the judge backed down from a previous decision that she would have to show her face to be properly identified.

The Guardian

"Perhaps not everyone's priority is having a 'beach body' (by the way, what is that?), and making somebody feel guilty for not prioritising it by questioning their personal choices is a step too far.

The Guardian

He pleaded not guilty.

The New York Times - Food

I am not guilty".

The New York Times

"You cannot say a man is corrupt until he's proven guilty".

The Guardian - Sport

Montgomery, who pleaded guilty in 2012, faces life in prison on a hate crime charge and five years on conspiracy.

The Guardian

Shelbie Brooke Richards, who pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy and concealing the crime by lying to police, faces eight years in prison at sentencing on 16 April.

The Guardian

Farah, who won Olympic gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m a year after joining Salazar in 2011, also insisted that he was a "100% clean athlete", but feared that some would think, after watching the BBC's Panorama programme on Wednesday night, that he is guilty by association.

The Guardian - Sport

Darrell Issa, in charge of the US house of representative's investigation of the Justice Department's prosecution of Swartz, told the Huffington Post that "overprosecution is a tool often used to get people to plead guilty rather than risk sentencing… If someone is genuinely guilty of something and you bring them up on charges, that's fine.

The Guardian - Tech

They are leaving the innocent unprotected and the guilty unpunished.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing feelings of guilt, be specific about the reason for the guilt to provide clarity and emotional depth.

Common error

Avoid using "guilty" in contexts where responsibility is merely functional or descriptive. Instead of saying "the engine was guilty of causing the breakdown", use "responsible for" or "caused".

Linguistic Context

Guilty primarily functions as an adjective, describing someone who has committed an offense or is responsible for wrongdoing. Ludwig AI confirms its adjectival nature, and examples demonstrate its use in legal and moral contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "guilty" functions primarily as an adjective used to describe someone responsible for an offense or wrongdoing. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and frequently used across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media. When writing with "guilty", be mindful of the specific context, ensuring you differentiate between legal and moral culpability. Alternatives like "culpable" or "responsible" may offer more precise connotations depending on the intended meaning. While "guilty" is commonly used, remember to avoid misapplication in non-moral contexts to maintain clarity and accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

culpable

Indicates deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious.

responsible

Highlights the aspect of being the cause of something, often implying accountability.

blameworthy

Emphasizes the deserving of blame, focusing on the moral aspect of the wrongdoing.

at fault

Directly attributes the responsibility for an error or wrongdoing to someone.

remorseful

Highlights the feeling of deep regret and sorrow for past misdeeds.

contrite

Indicates a sincere feeling of regret or remorse, often implying a desire for atonement.

conscience-stricken

Focuses on the internal suffering and unease caused by a guilty conscience.

in the wrong

Simplifies the expression of being mistaken or having acted incorrectly.

liable

Indicates legal responsibility or obligation for something.

convicted

Emphasizes the legal determination of guilt, typically in a court of law.

FAQs

How is "guilty" used in legal contexts?

In legal settings, "guilty" refers to a defendant's admission of guilt (pleading guilty) or a court's determination that they committed a crime (being found guilty). This contrasts with pleading or being found "not guilty", where innocence is asserted or presumed.

What are some synonyms for "guilty" when expressing remorse?

When describing feelings of remorse, alternatives to "guilty" include "remorseful", "contrite", and "conscience-stricken", each highlighting different aspects of regret.

How can I avoid sounding accusatory when describing someone's actions?

To avoid sounding accusatory, focus on describing the actions or consequences rather than directly labeling someone as "guilty". For example, instead of "He is guilty of the error", you could say "He was "responsible" for the error".

What's the difference between "guilty" and "culpable"?

"Guilty" generally refers to a legal or moral responsibility for wrongdoing, while "culpable" emphasizes deserving blame or censure. "Guilty" often implies a recognized or proven fault, whereas "culpable" suggests a state of deserving blame, whether proven or not.