guilt trip: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, colloquial. Common in everyday conversation, psychology/pop-psychology contexts, and informal writing. Rare in formal or legal registers.
Quick answer
What does “guilt trip” mean?
A psychological manipulation tactic where one person makes another feel guilty in order to control their behavior or obtain a desired outcome.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A psychological manipulation tactic where one person makes another feel guilty in order to control their behavior or obtain a desired outcome.
The specific feeling of intense, often undue, guilt induced by such manipulation. Informally, it can refer to any experience that triggers strong feelings of remorse or self-reproach.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in both varieties with identical meaning and comparable frequency. The compound form 'guilt-trip' (verb and adjective) is equally recognized.
Connotations
Universally negative, describing a manipulative and emotionally unhealthy dynamic.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpora, but well-established and common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “guilt trip” in a Sentence
to go on a guilt trip (about sth)to send someone on a guilt tripto be on a guilt tripto guilt-trip someone (into doing sth)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “guilt trip” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She's always trying to guilt-trip me about not visiting more often.
- Don't let him guilt-trip you into lending him money.
American English
- My mom totally guilt-tripped me about missing Thanksgiving.
- I feel like the ad is guilt-tripping people into donating.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form for 'guilt trip'.
American English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form for 'guilt trip'.
adjective
British English
- That was a classic guilt-trip tactic.
- I'm tired of his guilt-trip messages.
American English
- She gave me a major guilt-trip look.
- It was a guilt-trip move, plain and simple.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used informally to describe coercive management tactics (e.g., 'The boss tried to guilt-trip us into working the weekend.').
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, and communication studies to describe specific interpersonal manipulation strategies.
Everyday
Very common in personal and family contexts to describe interactions with parents, partners, or friends.
Technical
In clinical psychology, it may be discussed as a form of psychological control or a feature of certain relationship dynamics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “guilt trip”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “guilt trip”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “guilt trip”
- Using it to mean simply 'feeling guilty' without the element of external manipulation (e.g., 'I had a guilt trip after eating the cake' is incorrect if no one made you feel that way).
- Misspelling as 'guilt trap'.
- Incorrect verb form: 'He guilt-tripped me' (correct), not 'He guilt-trip me'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, yes. The term implies a conscious or habitual tactic. However, people might describe someone as 'guilt-tripping' others even if the manipulator is not fully aware of their behavior pattern.
Yes, the phrasal verb 'to guilt-trip' (hyphenated) is very common (e.g., 'She guilt-tripped him'). The past tense is 'guilt-tripped'.
A 'guilt trip' suggests the guilt is disproportionate, strategically induced, and serves the manipulator's goal. Simply pointing out a legitimate wrong you committed is not a guilt trip.
Yes, this means you are currently experiencing strong feelings of guilt, often implying they were induced by someone else's words or actions.
A psychological manipulation tactic where one person makes another feel guilty in order to control their behavior or obtain a desired outcome.
Guilt trip is usually informal, colloquial. common in everyday conversation, psychology/pop-psychology contexts, and informal writing. rare in formal or legal registers. in register.
Guilt trip: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡɪlt ˌtrɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡɪlt ˌtrɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Lay a guilt trip on someone”
- “Go on a guilt trip”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TRIP (journey) you're forced to take, but the only baggage you carry is GUILT. Someone else bought you the ticket.
Conceptual Metaphor
GUILT IS A BURDEN / JOURNEY ("carry guilt," "go on a trip"). MANIPULATION IS A PHYSICAL FORCE ("lay on," "put on").
Practice
Quiz
What is the core element of a 'guilt trip'?