guilty of this

USAGE SUMMARY

"guilty of this" is a correct and usable form of English in written form.
You can use this phrase to indicate that someone is responsible for a wrong or unlawful deed. For example: "The court found him guilty of this heinous crime."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Are your pets guilty of this too?

Huffington Post

My parents were certainly guilty of this.

The New York Times

Both parties are guilty of this practice.

The New Yorker

I am guilty of this myself.

The New York Times

I'm so guilty of this.

The New York Times

And I'm guilty of this myself.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I may have been guilty of this.

The Guardian

Sure, I have been guilty of this.

The Guardian - Opinion

I was guilty of this myself.

The Guardian - Books

I've been guilty of this myself.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I am certainly guilty of this myself.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "guilty of this" in formal writing, consider whether a more precise term like "liable" or "culpable" would be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "guilty of this" when the "this" is unclear or hasn't been explicitly defined. This can lead to confusion and weaken your statement. Always ensure that the referent of "this" is immediately apparent to the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "guilty of this" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate culpability or responsibility. It is frequently used to express acknowledgement of wrongdoing. Ludwig AI provides numerous examples demonstrating its usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "guilty of this" is a common and grammatically sound way to express culpability or responsibility for something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it follows standard grammar rules and is widely used across diverse contexts, including news, academia, and business. While its register is generally neutral, it's essential to ensure clarity in defining what "this" refers to. For formal settings, consider more precise alternatives like "culpable" or "responsible". By understanding these nuances, writers can effectively use "guilty of this" to convey accountability and acknowledgement of wrongdoing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

culpable in this

Replaces "guilty" with "culpable", a more formal synonym, while keeping the overall structure the same.

responsible for this

Substitutes "guilty" with "responsible", shifting the focus slightly towards accountability.

at fault for this

Replaces "guilty" with "at fault", indicating a degree of responsibility for an error or mistake.

to blame for this

Uses the idiom "to blame" instead of "guilty", suggesting that someone should be held accountable.

liable for this

Employs "liable", a term often used in legal contexts, indicating a legal responsibility.

answerable for this

Replaces "guilty" with "answerable", implying a duty to explain or justify one's actions.

implicated in this

Uses "implicated" to suggest involvement in something negative, though not necessarily full guilt.

accountable for this

Similar to "responsible", but emphasizes the obligation to report and justify actions.

the cause of this

Shifts the focus from guilt to being the origin or reason for something.

deserving blame for this

Expands the phrase to explicitly state that blame is warranted.

FAQs

How can I use "guilty of this" in a sentence?

You can use "guilty of this" to express responsibility or culpability for something. For example, "I am "guilty of this" oversight and will take steps to correct it."

What's a more formal alternative to "guilty of this"?

In formal contexts, consider using terms like "culpable in this" or "responsible for this" to maintain a professional tone.

Is it correct to say "guilty for this" instead of "guilty of this"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "guilty" in this context is "of". "Guilty for this" is grammatically incorrect. You can find several examples of correct usage within the Ludwig examples.

What's the difference between ""guilty of this"" and "responsible for this"?

While similar, ""guilty of this"" often implies a wrongdoing or offense, whereas "responsible for this" simply means accountable for the outcome, whether positive or negative.