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  • Informal. a feeling of guilt or responsibility, especially one not justified by reality.

[ gilt -trip ]

verb (used with object)

  • Informal. to attempt to instill a guilt trip in; play upon the guilt feelings of. guilt ( def 4 ) .

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Word history and origins.

Origin of guilt trip 1

Example Sentences

Apps can give you reminders, accountability, guilt trips, or even a personal habit coach, but in the end you still have to do the work — you can’t app your way to a better self.

I hesitate to respond to the re-hashing of your antiquated guilt trip on women to get married.

There are no real medical reasons for such a disgusting invasive procedure, other than a politically legislated guilt trip.

Will he be able to guilt-trip, shame, or otherwise compel American Muslims to communicate more with law enforcement?

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What Is Guilt Tripping?

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

definition of the word guilt trip

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  • Getting Help

Frequently Asked Questions

A guilt trip means causing another person to feel guilt or a sense of responsibility to change their behavior or take a specific action. Because guilt can be such a powerful motivator of human behavior, people can wield it as a tool to change how others think, feel, and behave. 

Sometimes this might involve leaning on something that someone already feels guilty about. In other cases, people might induce feelings of unjustified guilt or responsibility to manipulate the other person's emotions and behaviors.

If someone has ever made you feel bad about something you’ve done (or didn’t do) and then used those bad feelings to get you to do something for them, then you have experience with guilt tripping.

This article discusses the signs, types, and impact of guilt trips. It also covers some of the steps you can take to cope with this type of behavior.

Signs of a Guilt Trip

Guilt trips can be intentional, but they can also be unintentional. There are chances that you have even guilt-tripped people into doing things before.

Sometimes guilt tripping behavior can be easy to spot, but it can also be much more subtle and difficult to detect.  Some key signs that others may be guilt-tripping you include:

  • Making comments suggesting that you have not done as much work as they have done
  • Bringing up mistakes that you have made in the past
  • Reminding you of favors they have performed for you in the past
  • Acting as if they are angry but then denying that there is a problem
  • Refusing to speak to you or giving you the silent treatment
  • Making it clear through their body language , tone of voice, and facial expressions that they disapprove of what you were doing
  • Suggesting that you “owe” them
  • Engaging in passive-aggressive behavior
  • Making sarcastic comments about your efforts or progress

It is important to note that this type of indirect communication can occur in any interpersonal relationship. Still, it is more likely to take place in relationships that are marked by close emotional connections.

It can show up in romantic relationships, but guilt trips may also be utilized in family relationships, parental relationships, and even work relationships.

Types of Guilt Tripping

There are many different types of guilt trips that people may utilize depending on the ultimate goal or purpose of the behavior. Some of the different purposes of a guilt trip include:

  • Manipulation : Sometimes, the primary goal of a guilt trip is to manipulate someone into doing something that they normally would not want to do.  
  • Conflict avoidance : In other cases, people may use guilt trips to avoid directly talking about an issue. It allows them to get what they want without having to engage in direct conflict.
  • Moral education : Guilt trips can also be a way of getting someone to engage in a behavior that the individual feels is more moral or “right.”
  • Elicit sympathy : In some cases, guilt-tripping allows the individual to gain the sympathy of others by casting themselves in the role of someone who has been harmed by the actions the other person is supposed to feel guilty about.

Guilt isn't always a bad thing. While often troubling and unpleasant, it can serve an important role in guiding moral behavior. When people experience guilt, they can fix their mistakes and avoid repeating the same errors in the future.

Researcher Courtney Humeny

A guilt trip does not appear to induce the benefits of guilt, such as making amends, honesty, and mutual understanding.

Impact of Guilt Trips

Invoking feelings of guilt to change someone’s behavior can have a wide variety of effects. Whether guilt is wielded intentionally or not, it prevents healthy communication and connections with others. Some of the most immediate effects of this form of covert psychological manipulation include:

Damage to Relationships

Research suggests that guilt trips can take a toll on close relationships. One study found that people hurt by their partner's criticism were more likely to use those hurt feelings to make their partner feel guilty and offer reassurances.

However, the study also found that the partner who had been guilt-tripped into offering assurances was more likely to feel significantly worse about the relationship.

In other words, inducing feelings of guilt may work to get your partner to do what you want—but it comes at a cost. It can impair trust and cause the other person to feel that they are being manipulated. 

One of the reasons why guilt trips can poison relationships is because they can lead to lasting feelings of resentment.

"A guilt trip imposes aversive states associated with guilt, along with feelings of resentment from feeling manipulated," Humeny suggests.

A single occasion of someone using a guilt trip to alter your behavior might not have a serious impact on your relationship. Repeated use of guilt trips can leave you feeling bitter.

If you feel that your partner is always going to guilt you into something that you don't want to do, it can decrease intimacy, reduce emotional closeness, and ultimately make you start to resent your partner.

Research suggests that appeals to guilt are a common type of persuasion technique . However, while guilt can compel people to take certain actions, it can also sometimes backfire.

Low-level guilt tends to motivate people to act on the persuasive message. High levels of guilt, however, often fail due to what researchers call "reactance." 

"An individual in a state of reactance will behave in such a way as to restore his freedom (or, at least, his sense of freedom), for example, by performing behaviors that are contrary to those required," explain researchers Aurélien Graton and Melody Mailliez in a 2019 article published in the journal Behavioral Sciences .

In other words, guilt trips can backfire and lead people to behave opposite how someone else wants them to act. For example, someone guilt-tripping you into calling them more often might actually result in calling them less.

Poor Well-being

Feelings of excessive guilt are associated with several mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression , and obsessive-compulsive disorder . Being subjected to guilt trips may contribute to the development or worsening of such conditions.

Experiencing guilt can also lead to many immediate and unpleasant emotions and symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, regret, worry, muscle tension, and insomnia.

This type of covert manipulation may also sometimes contribute to the development of a guilt complex , which is a persistent belief that you have done (or will do) something wrong.

Over time, guilt can lead to feelings of shame. Shame can affect your self-image, which can then contribute to social withdrawal and isolation.

How to Cope With Guilt Tripping

There are a number of tactics that can be helpful when dealing with a guilt trip. Some steps you can take include:

  • Acknowledge the request. Let them know that you understand that it is important to them. Responding with empathy and showing that you see their needs may help them feel that they are not simply being ignored. Validating their emotions may help lessen the intensity of those feelings.
  • Share your feelings . Explain that you also see how they are trying to make you feel guilty so that you'll do what they want. Then tell them how that type of manipulation makes you feel. Suggest that interacting in that way will lead to resentment and that more direct communication forms would be more effective. 
  • Set boundaries . Boundaries help set limits on what you will and will not accept. Even if you do end up helping them with their request, make sure you clearly articulate your limits and explain the consequences of crossing those boundaries. Then be sure that you enforce those limits if they are crossed.

Other things that you can use include protecting your self-esteem and distancing yourself if needed. You're more likely to fall for a guilt trip if you already feel poorly about yourself, so find strategies to build up your sense of self-worth. 

If the other person keeps trying to manipulate you with feelings of guilt, reduce your communication with them or even consider ending the relationship.

Protecting your own well-being should be a top priority. A person who tries to manipulate you with toxic feelings of shame and guilt does not have your best interests at heart.

Getting Help for Guilt

If you are experiencing feelings of guilt or related symptoms of anxiety, stress, or depression, talk to your health care provider or a mental health professional. They can recommend treatment options such as psychotherapy or medications that can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of your life.

Your doctor or therapist may suggest a type of therapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) , which may help reduce inappropriate guilt feelings. This type of therapy can help you identify and change the negative thoughts and cognitive distortions that can contribute to feelings of guilt.

Your therapist can also help you learn to recognize the signs of a guilt trip—and help you practice strategies to cope with this type of emotional manipulation.

An example of guilt tripping might be your friend calling you and saying, "I know you are too busy with work to hang out. I'll just spend the evening by myself. I just thought that since I helped you get that job you would make sure to make a little more time for me." This type of comment is designed to induce feelings of guilt and bring up the idea that you "owe" them in some way.

Guilt tripping is often designed to manipulate other people by preying on their emotions and feelings of guilt or responsibility. This can be a form of toxic behavior that can have detrimental effects on a person's well-being as well as their relationships.

While both behaviors are destructive and toxic, they differ in key ways. Gaslighting is a type of emotional abuse that involves denying another person's reality and making them question their own experiences. Guilt tripping, on the other hand, is about causing another person to feel guilty in order to get them to change their behavior.

Humeny C. A qualitative investigation of a guilt trip . Conference: Institute of Cognitive Science Spring Proceedings.

Overall NC, Girme YU, Lemay EP Jr, Hammond MD. Attachment anxiety and reactions to relationship threat: the benefits and costs of inducing guilt in romantic partners . J Pers Soc Psychol . 2014;106(2):235-56. doi:10.1037/a0034371

Aurélien G, Melody M. A theory of guilt appeals: a review showing the importance of investigating cognitive processes as mediators between emotion and behavior .  Behav Sci (Basel) . 2019;9(12):117. doi:10.3390/bs9120117

Tilghman-Osborne C, Cole DA, Felton JW.  Definition and measurement of guilt: Implications for clinical research and practice .  Clin Psychol Rev . 2010;30(5):536-546. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.007

Miceli M, Castelfranchi C.  Reconsidering the differences between shame and guilt .  Eur J Psychol . 2018;14(3):710-733. doi:10.5964/ejop.v14i3.1564

Herr NR, Jones AC, Cohn DM, Weber DM.  The impact of validation and invalidation on aggression in individuals with emotion regulation difficulties .  Personal Disord . 2015;6(4):310-4. doi:10.1037/per0000129

Cleantis T. Boundaries and self-care . Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Hedman E, Ström P, Stünkel A, Mörtberg E. Shame and guilt in social anxiety disorder: effects of cognitive behavior therapy and association with social anxiety and depressive symptoms . PLoS One . 2013;8(4):e61713. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061713

Johnson VE, Nadal KL, Sissoko DRG, King R. "It's not in your head": Gaslighting, 'splaining, victim blaming, and other harmful reactions to microaggressions .  Perspect Psychol Sci . 2021;16(5):1024-1036. doi:10.1177/17456916211011963

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Definition of 'guilt trip'

Guilt trip in american english, guilt-trip in american english, examples of 'guilt trip' in a sentence guilt trip.

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guilt′ trip`

Guilt′-trip`.

  • compunction
  • guilt feelings
  • guilty conscience
  • self-reproach
  • survivor guilt
  • Guillain-Barre syndrome
  • Guillain-Barrésyndrome
  • Guillaume Apollinaire
  • Guillaume de Grimoard
  • Guillaume de Lorris
  • guilt by association
  • guilt complex
  • guiltlessness
  • guilt-ridden
  • Guinea corn
  • Guinea Current
  • Guinea dropper
  • guinea flower
  • guinea fowl
  • guinea gold
  • guinea gold vine
  • Guinea grains
  • Guinea grass
  • Guinea Gulf of
  • Guinea peach
  • Guinea pepper
  • Guinea plum
  • Guinea wheat
  • guinea worm
  • guinea worm disease
  • Guilt By Association Syndrome
  • Guilt Edged Investment
  • Guilt Edged Investments
  • guilt trips
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  • Guilt, Resentment, Anxiety, Self-Absorption, Stress
  • Guilt-Edged Investment
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How to recognize a guilt trip & respond when it happens.

Sarah Regan

If someone has ever tried to make you feel bad about something without directly saying it, you may well have been a victim to guilt tripping. This behavior isn't uncommon, but if you don't know what to look for, you might not realize it's happening. Here's how to spot guilt trip signs, plus how to deal with it, according to experts.

What does "guilt trip" really mean?

Guilt tripping is a type of behavior that involves making someone feel guilty for something rather than directly expressing your displeasure. As therapist and relationship expert Ken Page, LCSW, explains to mbg, it's a form of manipulation designed to either make the person feel bad or to get them to do something you want by evoking guilt.

According to both Page and licensed marriage and family therapist  Shane Birkel, LMFT, guilt tripping is classic passive-aggressive behavior because it indicates an inability—or at least an unwillingness—to communicate in a healthy and constructive way.

This kind of behavior can be seen across all kinds of relationships, from romantic to parent-child relationships to friendships, and even in the workplace between bosses or co-workers.

Why it's not OK to guilt trip someone.

It's not a bad thing to express when you feel hurt or upset by someone else's behavior, Page notes, but when you start to become passive aggressive and manipulative about it, that's when it becomes a problem. "Guilt tripping is indirect and manipulative, [and] it works by making people feel bad about themselves," he says.

Birkel adds that guilt tripping also doesn't require the same vulnerability as directly sharing your hurt and how you're feeling. "It's shaming the other person, making comments that make the other person feel bad, sort of blaming and attacking—and so in that way, I don't think there's ever an appropriate or OK situation to guilt trip. It's always going to be a harsh way of treating the other person," he notes.

Open and vulnerable communication, such as saying, "Hey, I understand we all run late sometimes, but it makes me feel like you're not prioritizing our time together when you show up late," for example, would not be guilt tripping, Birkel adds.

Is guilt tripping a form of gaslighting?

Gaslighting and guilt tripping are not the same, though they have "large areas of overlap," according to Page. He notes that gaslighting is all about denying someone's reality to make them question themselves, which is a "deep form of manipulation."

Guilt tripping is more about making someone feel bad or guilty for their behavior. That said, dark personality types like narcissists and other toxic people will often use both of these manipulation tactics freely and without remorse, Page explains.

Common signs to look out for:

  • Behavior and comments meant to make you feel guilty or bad
  • Making you feel like you owe them something
  • Refusal to say what's wrong but acting upset
  • Expressing negative feelings about you in indirect ways
  • Comments like "I must not mean that much to you," "I'm glad you could finally squeeze me into your busy schedule," or, "I do so much for you," etc.
  • Talking about you as a bad person, partner, friend, etc.
  • Withholding affection and/or attention as punishment
  • Passive-aggressive behavior

The main things you want to look for when it comes to someone guilt tripping you are an inability to express negative feelings directly and behavior that makes you feel guilty. As Page explains, "When you feel that sharp pang of guilt, ask yourself, what is happening? Are you being made to feel that you are less of a good person, or were they actually bothered appropriately by something you did that you need to fix and correct?"

When you become aware of how guilt feels in your body and the thoughts it makes you think, that's the quickest way to identify guilt tripping behavior, he adds. And if you're noticing a trend that this person has a hard time expressing when you've done something that bothers them, that's a telltale sign too.

Reasons for guilt tripping.

There are plenty of reasons that people resort to guilt tripping, whether subconscious or very much conscious. A lot of the time, Page explains, it's simply the "easiest" option, compared to actually being vulnerable and stating your needs and feelings in a direct way.

Sometimes people want sympathy, sometimes they want to manipulate your behavior, and sometimes they may just be looking for attention. But the key is they're not willing to be outright about what they're wanting from the interaction.

According to Birkel, guilt tripping someone can also be "a twisted way of trying to get compassion." They're trying to make you feel bad about what you did because they want you to understand how it hurt them, he says.

"Often, when we feel that something is wrong but we don't feel that we have a right to ask for what we want, we use guilt tripping or other passive-aggressive behavior instead," Page explains. "In other words, our guilt around our own needs makes us guilt trip other people."

Birkel also notes this kind of behavior can stem from having this behavior modeled for you growing up, as well as not having your needs met as a child. "If someone grew up in a family where they weren't allowed to have a voice, or their wants and needs were shut down by a parent, they might start guilt tripping others because they never learned how to communicate directly," he explains.

How to respond to a guilt trip.

How you choose to respond when someone guilt trips you will depend on everything from your communication style to how much patience you have in the moment and how serious the situation is. In extreme cases, especially in situations where you're being unfairly blamed for something, you always have the option to set a boundary and walk away from the conversation.

With all that said, Page and Birkel both recommend extending compassion when you can. "Underneath the guilt tripping is a request, hidden in blaming, passive-aggressive behavior," Page explains. And as Birkel notes, that hidden request is often compassion and understanding.

For starters, there might be an apology you can and should make if you did actually hurt this person (intentionally or not). Birkel suggests starting there, and to emphasize that you understand why they're feeling the way they do. That can sound like "I understand why you're upset, and I apologize for X."

Then, once the apology is made earnestly and accepted, perhaps a couple of hours later, he says you can bring up that you didn't appreciate the way they approached the conversation, saying something like, "Again, I understand why you were upset, and I felt like you were trying to make to feel guilty, so I'm hoping you could communicate with me more directly about what's going on for you in the future."

Ultimately, Page says, it's important that you and the other person both get to speak your mind about how you're really feeling. In some cases, for instance, you might be letting somebody down and disappointing them, but that doesn't mean that you have anything to feel guilty for; you just might not be able to meet their expectations, he explains. "On the other hand, when you listen to what they want and need, if it feels valid, you might want to reconsider your actions," he adds.

It comes down to honest, open, and vulnerable communication, which is a skill that can take time to cultivate. But the good news is, the more you practice healthy communication , the easier it becomes over time.

The bottom line.

Guilt tripping can range from small, rare instances to extreme cases of manipulation. If things escalate to the point of emotional abuse , remove yourself from the situation as best you can. Otherwise, guilt tripping is a behavior (albeit a frustrating one) that can be worked on and improved with healthy communication and vulnerability.

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Guilt-Tripping: How to Recognize and Deal with It

Manipulation by guilt comes in many different forms..

Posted June 24, 2024 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

  • Coping With Guilt
  • Find a therapist near me
  • Guilt-tripping tries to make you feel more guilty than is merited in order to get you to do something.
  • Guilt-tripping can leave you anxious, confused, filled with self-doubt, and even questioning reality.
  • Once you spot any guilt-tripping tactics, emphasize how such tactics shouldn't be part of your relationship.
  • If a person continues to use guilt-tripping, consider taking a trip out of the relationship for good.

Fokusiert/Getty

Is someone guilty of guilt -tripping you? If you don't catch on to what a guilt-tripper is trying to do to you, get ready for what may be a disorienting, confusing, and even reality-bending trip.

When guilt-tripping, a person attempts to make you feel more guilty than is merited about something you did or even something that wasn't your fault in any way. Guilt-tripping is a manipulative tactic, since the guilt-tripper's goal is to make you feel so bad that you end up doing what the person wants you to do. The guilt-tripper may stretch facts and warp reality in different ways to exploit your conscience , compassion, and kindness. Here are some classic examples:

  • Blaming you for things that you didn't do: What if the guilt-tripper insists, "You always put me last on your priority list" when it's nowhere near the case? Well, you still may feel pressured to do even more for the guilt-tripper just to further prove yourself.
  • Flipping the script: This takes blaming to a whole other level. Say the person did something quite bad to you, such as reneging on a promise, backstabbing you, abandoning you during a time of need, or stealing something from you. Instead of expressing remorse, apologizing, and making amends, guess what the guilt-tripper does? The guilt-tripper turns the tables on you by saying, "I had no choice because you didn't check in enough to see how I was doing and pay attention to my needs." You don't want to find yourself apologizing for the guilt-tripper doing something bad to you,
  • Not letting something go: You know the line "Love means never having to say you're sorry" from the 1970 movie Love Story ? The Guilt-Trip Story is the opposite. Once you've inevitably made some kind of mistake in the relationship because, you know, you are human, the guilt-tripper may hold on to it like Thanos did with the Infinity Gauntlet and keep weaponizing it. So, every time the guilt-tripper wants something from you, expect a reminder of that time that you did such and such to him or her. It's like a debt for which no payment will ever be enough.
  • Exaggerating the impact: Here the guilt-tripper blows whatever happened out of proportion, making a minor issue seem like Sharknado hit the Titanic, Like, oh the horror, you dared to make that comment about a TV show. The guilt-tripper may declare that life will never be the same because of what you did, or storm out, leaving you wondering whether you somehow insulted not only the guilt-tripper but all of the guilt-tripper's family, relatives, pets , and future descendants.
  • Ascribing ill intent: The guilt-tripper may insist that you did something deliberately or out of malice when you did not, insisting something like, "You wanted me to fail" or "You are getting joy out of this happening." Maybe not the best intentions behind the accusations of ill intentions.
  • Playing the victim: This is the woe-is-me, the look-how-badly-everyone-has-treated-me narrative, trying to make you feel guilty about doing anything besides protecting the guilt-tripper like a little lamb. Ah, but is this lamb a wolf in sheep's clothing?
  • One-upping you on misfortune: Yeah, relationships aren't supposed to be competitions. Nevertheless, when you are in a tough situation, the guilt-tripper may claim that his or her situation is just as bad or even worse, sort of like running against you in a 100-meter dashed- dreams race. For example, imagine that you are facing a health crisis and wondering why the guilt tripper, who happens to be in good health, is not offering the requisite empathy and compassion. This is where the guilt-tripper may offer the "times are tough for me, too" excuse.
  • Reminding you of how much he or she has done for you: This is the look-at-what-I've-done-for-you-so-you-should-do-more-for-me argument. Of course, keeping score in any relationship that's not based on a football field doesn't help build trust. Plus, those who keep score may just be exaggerating what they've done. The guilt-tripper may also simultaneously devalue what others are doing for you and make the "'I'm the only one really helping you" argument.
  • The silent treatment, avoidance, or ghosting : The guilt-tripper may not even tell you what you supposedly did wrong. Instead, the guilt-tripper may just glare at you, cease communicating, or even become a not-so-friendly ghost, leaving you wondering. And wondering. And wondering what the heck you did wrong. This may throw you on a wild mental goose chase until you give up and say something like "I'm sorry for whatever I did. I will make it up to you."

All of these tactics can really trip you up, leaving you with anxiety and self-doubt if you aren't fully aware of what the guilt-tripper is doing. Guilt-tripping can be like taking a Brillo pad to the trust needed for a healthy relationship.

Therefore, once you spot any guilt-tripping tactics, emphasize to the guilt-tripper how such tactics aren't constructive and shouldn't be part of your relationship. The guilt-tripper needs to recognize, admit, and stop such behavior. However, if the guilt-tripper tries to guilt-trip you for calling out the guilt-tripping, then maybe it's time to make a trip right out of the relationship.

Bruce Y. Lee M.D., M.B.A.

Bruce Y. Lee, M.D., M.B.A., is a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, physician, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order.

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guilt-trip verb

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What does the verb guilt-trip mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb guilt-trip . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the verb guilt-trip ?

How is the verb guilt-trip pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the verb guilt-trip come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the verb guilt-trip is in the 1970s.

OED's earliest evidence for guilt-trip is from 1977, in Spare Rib .

It is also recorded as a noun from the 1970s.

guilt-trip is formed within English, by conversion.

Etymons: guilt trip n.

Nearby entries

  • guiltful, adj. 1655–1791
  • guiltfully, adv. c1480
  • guiltily, adv. 1597–
  • guiltiness, n. c1480–
  • guilting, adj. Old English–1382
  • guiltist, n. 1693
  • guiltless, adj. c1175–
  • guiltlessly, adv. 1548–
  • guiltlessness, n. 1571–
  • guilt trip, n. 1972–
  • guilt-trip, v. 1977–
  • guiltwite, n. Old English–1706
  • guilty, adj. Old English–
  • guilty knowledge, n. 1800–
  • guiltyship, n. 1557
  • guily, adj. c1430–1530
  • guimauve, n. 1812–
  • guimbard, n. 1830–
  • guimpe, n. 1688–
  • guindall, n. 1628
  • Guinea, n. 1620–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, entry history for guilt-trip, v..

guilt-trip, v. was first published in September 2001.

guilt-trip, v. was last modified in July 2023.

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Citation details

Factsheet for guilt-trip, v., browse entry.

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Definitions.net

  Vocabulary      

What does guilt trip mean?

Definitions for guilt trip guilt trip, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word guilt trip ., princeton's wordnet rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes.

guilt, guilty conscience, guilt feelings, guilt trip noun

remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense

Wiktionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

  • guilt trip noun

A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

Remarks intended to produce such a feeling.

Wikipedia Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A guilt trip is a feeling of guilt or responsibility, especially an unjustified one induced by someone else.

ChatGPT Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A guilt trip is a psychological tactic where a person attempts to induce feelings of guilt in someone else in order to manipulate them into behaving a particular way or achieving a desired outcome. This emotional manipulation often involves making the other person feel responsible or at fault, with the aim of getting sympathy or prompting action in their favor.

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How to pronounce guilt trip?

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say guilt trip in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of guilt trip in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of guilt trip in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of guilt trip in a Sentence

Deanna Kugler Gallucci :

My parents begged us, in a light-hearted but truly guilt-trip parenting sort of way.

Dan Fogelman :

Guilt Trip 's not something I certainly set out to do, but again, like it means something is being done right, i think crying -- because Guilt Trip 's funny to put tissue box emoji on things on Twitter -- Guilt Trip becomes like an overarching narrative, and I get Guilt Trip . Guilt Trip 's actually Guilt Trip , but I think Guilt Trip almost can make the power of what we're trying to do feel a little bit smaller because it seems like,' Oh, he's just trying to make you cry.'.

  • ^  Princeton's WordNet http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=guilt trip
  • ^  Wiktionary https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Guilt_Trip
  • ^  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt_Trip
  • ^  ChatGPT https://chat.openai.com

Translations for guilt trip

From our multilingual translation dictionary.

  • رحلة الذنب Arabic
  • voyage de culpabilité French
  • טיול אשמה Hebrew
  • culpa Latin
  • călătorie de vinovăție Romanian

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Image credit, the web's largest resource for, definitions & translations, a member of the stands4 network, free, no signup required :, add to chrome, add to firefox, browse definitions.net, are you a words master, fill with high spirits; fill with optimism, Nearby & related entries:.

  • guilt by association noun
  • guilt feelings noun
  • guilt offering
  • guilt pang noun
  • guilt-ridden adj
  • guiltily adverb

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lay / put a guilt trip on

Definition of lay / put a guilt trip on, dictionary entries near lay / put a guilt trip on.

lay preacher

lay/put a guilt trip on

lay/put (all/all of) one's cards on the table

Cite this Entry

“Lay/put a guilt trip on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%2Fput%20a%20guilt%20trip%20on. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.

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Meaning of guilt-tripping in English

Examples of guilt-tripping.

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an area of land that has not been used to grow crops or had towns and roads built on it, especially because it is difficult to live in as a result of its extremely cold or hot weather or bad earth

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definition of the word guilt trip

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IMAGES

  1. What Is Guilt Tripping and How to Deal with It?

    definition of the word guilt trip

  2. What Is a Guilt Trip and How to Recognize If Someone Is Using It on You

    definition of the word guilt trip

  3. Guilt Trip and Life

    definition of the word guilt trip

  4. 15+ Guilt Trip Examples: How to Recognize and Handle Them

    definition of the word guilt trip

  5. Guilt Trip: Definition, Signs, Types, and How to Cope

    definition of the word guilt trip

  6. Exploring What Does Guilt Trip Mean: A Comprehensive Guide

    definition of the word guilt trip

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  1. that's the definition of guilt

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  4. Guilt Meaning

  5. Guilt by definition

  6. Guilt trip Meaning

COMMENTS

  1. Guilt-trip Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of GUILT-TRIP is to cause feelings of guilt in (someone) : to try to manipulate the behavior of (someone) by causing feelings of guilt : guilt. How to use guilt-trip in a sentence.

  2. GUILT TRIP

    GUILT TRIP definition: 1. a strong feeling of guilt because of something you have done wrong or forgotten to do: 2. to…. Learn more.

  3. GUILT TRIP

    GUILT TRIP meaning: 1. a strong feeling of guilt because of something you have done wrong or forgotten to do: 2. to…. Learn more.

  4. GUILT TRIP Definition & Meaning

    Guilt trip definition: a feeling of guilt or responsibility, especially one not justified by reality.. See examples of GUILT TRIP used in a sentence.

  5. Guilt Trip: Definition, Signs, Types, and How to Cope

    Guilt trips can be intentional, but they can also be unintentional. There are chances that you have even guilt-tripped people into doing things before. Sometimes guilt tripping behavior can be easy to spot, but it can also be much more subtle and difficult to detect. Some key signs that others may be guilt-tripping you include: Making comments ...

  6. Guilt trip

    Define guilt trip. guilt trip synonyms, guilt trip pronunciation, guilt trip translation, English dictionary definition of guilt trip. n. Informal A usually prolonged feeling of guilt or culpability. Idiom: lay a guilt trip on To make or try to make feel guilty. American Heritage®...

  7. GUILT TRIP definition and meaning

    GUILT TRIP definition: a feeling of guilt or responsibility , esp. one not justified by reality | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

  8. guilt trip, n. meanings, etymology and more

    colloquial (originally U.S. ). 1972-. An episode of severe, often excessive or unjustified self-reproach, esp. one deliberately provoked by another person; a state of mind in which a person is preoccupied by overriding feelings of guilt. Also: an attempt to instil such feelings in a person. Frequently in to lay a guilt trip on.

  9. Guilt trip

    guilt trip: 1 n remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense Synonyms: guilt , guilt feelings , guilty conscience Types: survivor guilt a deep feeling of guilt often experienced by those who have survived some catastrophe that took the lives of many others; derives in part from a feeling that they did not do enough to save the others ...

  10. Guilt-trip

    Define guilt-trip. guilt-trip synonyms, guilt-trip pronunciation, guilt-trip translation, English dictionary definition of guilt-trip. tr.v. guilt-tripped , guilt-trip·ping , guilt-trips Informal To make or try to make feel guilty.

  11. The Guilt Trip: How to Deal with This Manipulation

    What is a guilt trip? "A guilt trip is best defined as the intentional manipulation of another person's emotions to induce feelings of guilt," explains Liza Gold, a social worker and founder ...

  12. Guilt Trip Definition & Meaning

    Guilt Trip definition: A usually prolonged feeling of guilt or culpability.

  13. guilt-trip

    From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English ˈguilt-trip verb [ transitive] informal to make someone feel guilty My mother tried to guilt-trip me by crying. guilt-trip meaning, definition, what is guilt-trip: to make someone feel guilty: Learn more.

  14. Guilt trip Definition & Meaning

    Britannica Dictionary definition of GUILT TRIP. [count] informal. : a feeling of guilt that you get when someone suggests that you have done something wrong or that you are not doing something that you should. "I guess you're just too busy to call." "I don't need the guilt trip, Mom. If you want me to call more often, just say so.". The ...

  15. Guilt trip

    Guilt trip. Guilt tripping is a form of emotional blackmail [1] that is often designed to manipulate other people by preying on their emotions and feelings of guilt or responsibility. This can be a form of toxic behavior that can have detrimental effects on a person's well-being as well as their relationships.

  16. Guilt Tripping: How To Recognize It + Respond

    Birkel adds that guilt tripping also doesn't require the same vulnerability as directly sharing your hurt and how you're feeling. "It's shaming the other person, making comments that make the other person feel bad, sort of blaming and attacking—and so in that way, I don't think there's ever an appropriate or OK situation to guilt trip.

  17. Signs of a Guilt Trip & How to Respond

    Strained, difficult, and undesirable relationships. Long-term feelings of guilt and shame that extend beyond the relationship. Avoidance of the source of the guilt trip due to resentment and anger. New or worsening mental health conditions like anxiety and depression fueled by the guilt.

  18. Guilt-Tripping: How to Recognize and Deal with It

    Key points. Guilt-tripping tries to make you feel more guilty than is merited in order to get you to do something. Guilt-tripping can leave you anxious, confused, filled with self-doubt, and even ...

  19. Guilt Tripping: Definition, Examples, & Phrases

    Since guilt tripping is the act of inducing guilt in another person, it is by definition manipulation (Simon, 2010). Manipulative behaviors have several traits, all of which can be found in guilt tripping: the concealing of one's desire to control, knowing where the person is psychologically vulnerable, and being willing to cause them ...

  20. guilt-trip, v. meanings, etymology and more

    The earliest known use of the verb guilt-trip is in the 1970s. OED's earliest evidence for guilt-trip is from 1977, in Spare Rib. It is also recorded as a noun from the 1970s. guilt-trip is formed within English, by conversion. Etymons: guilt trip n. See etymology.

  21. What does guilt trip mean?

    Definition of guilt trip in the Definitions.net dictionary. Meaning of guilt trip. What does guilt trip mean? ... This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word guilt trip. Princeton's WordNet Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes. guilt, guilty conscience, guilt feelings, guilt ...

  22. Lay/put a guilt trip on Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of LAY/PUT A GUILT TRIP ON is to try to make (someone) feel bad or sorry. How to use lay/put a guilt trip on in a sentence.

  23. GUILT-TRIPPING definition

    GUILT-TRIPPING meaning: 1. present participle of guilt-trip informal 2. present participle of guilt-trip informal. Learn more.