25 Idioms for Guilt: with Meaning and Examples

Guilt is a powerful and universal emotion that can weigh heavily on us, shape our decisions, and influence how we interact with others.

Unsurprisingly, the English language is full of idioms to express guilt in all its forms—whether you’re regretting a mistake, harboring a secret, or feeling the burden of responsibility.

In this article, we’ll explore 25 idioms for guilt with their meanings and practical examples.

Additionally, you’ll discover related words, synonyms, antonyms, and a quiz to test your understanding.

Idioms for Guilt

These idioms provide colorful ways to describe feelings of guilt, responsibility, or regret.

• Carry the weight of the world on your shoulders: To feel immense guilt or responsibility.
  • Example: “After the accident, she felt like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.”
• Have blood on your hands: To be responsible for someone’s suffering or death.
  • Example: “The dictator has blood on his hands for his heinous acts.”
• Live with a guilty conscience: To feel ongoing guilt over past actions.
  • Example: “He’s been living with a guilty conscience since the incident.”
• Hang your head in shame: To feel deeply ashamed or guilty.
  • Example: “After forgetting the meeting, he hung his head in shame.”
• Skeletons in the closet: To have hidden secrets or past actions that cause guilt.
  • Example: “Every family has skeletons in the closet they’d rather not reveal.”
• Eat away at you: When guilt or regret continuously bothers you.
  • Example: “His decision to lie to his friend has been eating away at him.”
• Weigh on your mind: To feel persistently guilty or worried.
  • Example: “Her argument with her brother has been weighing on her mind.”
• Be eaten up with guilt: To feel overwhelmed by guilt.
  • Example: “She was eaten up with guilt after breaking her promise.”
• Face the music: To confront the consequences of one’s actions.
  • Example: “He finally faced the music and admitted his mistake.”
• Burn with guilt: To feel intense guilt.
  • Example: “She burned with guilt after betraying her friend’s trust.”
• Feel the pinch: To feel slight guilt or regret.
  • Example: “He felt a pinch of guilt for not calling his parents.”
• Sweat bullets: To feel extremely nervous or guilty.
  • Example: “He was sweating bullets during the investigation.”
• Caught red-handed: To be caught in the act of wrongdoing.
  • Example: “The thief was caught red-handed stealing from the store.”
• Own up to something: To admit guilt or responsibility.
  • Example: “She owned up to her mistake and apologized.”
• Kicking yourself: To feel regret or guilt over a mistake.
  • Example: “I’m kicking myself for not accepting that job offer.”
• Dig your own grave: To create guilt or trouble for yourself.
  • Example: “He dug his own grave by lying to his boss.”
• Have something hanging over your head: To feel constant guilt or anxiety over something.
  • Example: “The secret he kept was hanging over his head for weeks.”
• Beat yourself up: To criticize yourself harshly for a mistake.
  • Example: “Stop beating yourself up—it was just an honest error.”
• Bear the brunt: To take the most guilt or blame for a situation.
  • Example: “She bore the brunt of the blame for the project’s failure.”
• A guilty pleasure: Something you enjoy but feel guilty about.
  • Example: “Eating ice cream at midnight is my guilty pleasure.”

These idioms help express the many ways people feel and express guilt in various situations.

Exploring the Origins of Guilt Idioms

Understanding the background of idioms can make them more memorable and insightful.

1. Caught Red-Handed:
   • Origin: This phrase comes from Scotland in the 15th century when thieves caught with blood on their hands from poached animals were considered guilty.
   • Example: “He was caught red-handed taking money from the till.”
2. Skeletons in the Closet:
   • Origin: This idiom originated in England, referencing hidden skeletons used in medical studies or family secrets kept hidden.
   • Example: “The politician’s skeletons in the closet eventually came to light.”

Other Names for Guilt

While we often use the word “guilt,” there are other names and expressions for this emotion that might be a bit different or give more nuance to what we mean.

• Remorse: Feeling regret for wrongdoing.
• Regret: A general feeling of wishing things had gone differently.
• Self-reproach: When you criticize yourself for your actions.

These words allow us to talk about guilt differently, whether mild regret or deep remorse.

Words for Guilt: How to Describe It

We have plenty of words to describe guilt. Here are some everyday terms that might come in handy:

• Accountability: Being responsible for your actions.
• Blame: Assigning responsibility for wrongdoing.
• Shame: A painful feeling caused by guilt or dishonor.

Understanding the shades of guilt helps you choose the right word for the situation.

Synonyms for Guilt

Plenty of words can be used as synonyms for guilt, depending on how strong the emotion is. Here are some useful ones:

Using synonyms can keep your writing and speaking fresh, helping you avoid repetition.

Opposite of Guilt & Antonym of Guilt

What’s the opposite of guilt? If guilt makes us feel wrong about something we’ve done, the opposite would be emotions like:

These antonyms show a complete absence of guilt or a feeling of being clear of wrongdoing.

Quiz: Test Your Guilt Idiom Knowledge

Let’s put your knowledge of guilt-related idioms to the test! Below are ten quiz questions with their answers:

Quiz 1:

Question: What does the idiom “guilty as sin” mean?

1. Innocent of any wrongdoing.
2. Guilty of something.
3. Unsure of one’s actions.
4. Feeling proud.
5. Answer: guilty of something.

Quiz 2:

Question: Which idiom means “to make someone feel guilty on purpose”?

1. Guilt trip
2. Clean slate
3. No strings attached
4. Bear guilt
5. Answer: Guilt trip

Quiz 3:

Question: What does the idiom “hang your head in shame” imply?

1. To be proud of an action.
2. To feel embarrassed or guilty.
3. To act without guilt.
4. To celebrate success.
5. Answer: To feel embarrassed or guilty.

Quiz 4:

Question: Which idiom refers to carrying the emotional burden of guilt?

1. Bear the guilt
2. Sweep under the rug
3. Look the other way
4. Jump to conclusions
5. Answer: Bear the guilt

Quiz 5:

Question: What does the idiom “wring your hands in guilt” signify?

1. To feel indifferent.
2. To show signs of guilt through physical actions.
3. To accuse someone else.
4. To remain neutral.
5. Answer: To show signs of guilt through physical actions.

Quiz 6:

Question: Which word is a synonym for guilt?

1. Innocence
2. Remorse
3. Joy
4. Happiness
5. Answer: Remorse

Quiz 7:

Question: What’s the opposite of guilt?

1. Remorse
2. Blamelessness
3. Contrition
4. Shame
5. Answer: Blamelessness

Quiz 8:

Question: Which idiom describes feeling responsible for wrongdoing?

1. Jump for joy
2. Bear the guilt
3. No strings attached
4. Let off the hook
5. Answer: Bear the guilt

Quiz 9:

Question: What does “guilt trip” refer to?

1. A vacation where you feel guilty.
2. A feeling of overwhelming guilt.
3. To manipulate someone by making them feel guilty.
4. Letting go of guilt.
5. Answer: To manipulate someone by making them feel guilty.

Quiz 10:

Question: Which phrase is an antonym for guilt?

1. Shame
2. Pride
3. Regret
4. Self-reproach
5. Answer: Pride

Final Thoughts

Guilt is a complex emotion, and there are plenty of idioms, synonyms, and even antonyms for it.

From carrying guilt to manipulating others with it, language offers us endless ways to talk about this feeling. 

I hope this article helps you better understand and express guilt in different ways, whether you’re learning English or just expanding your vocabulary.

Feel free to try the quiz again and practice using these idioms!