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Glite Dictionary
guiltily

guiltily

4 3.7
In a way that shows you feel you did something wrong
  • adverb
  • /ˈɡɪl.tɪ.li/
: culpablemente
  • After missing practice, she smiled guiltily when her coach asked where she had been.
  • looked guiltily
  • glanced guiltily
  • said guiltily

I didn't have to own my interruptions, I guess I could guiltily say.

Examples

  • I admitted guiltily that I should not have pursued the colors and the warmth so impatiently.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Then he glances guiltily toward the house and moves to his van, with Duke following.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The boys look at each other guiltily, then bend down to help him. # HARRY #

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The old man guiltily backs away, and a Fire Nation soldier hands him money.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Both swivel to look around guiltily as they hear Sam step in.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • "I shove the catalog guiltily into a shelf in the night table.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Then she glanced around guiltily, as if afraid her thoughts had been overheard.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Damian jumped, almost guiltily, but Julio had other matters on his mind.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "Someone you know?" Schiller said after the waiter left, and she smiled guiltily.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Clara admitted guiltily to Alice and defensively to Katy that her daughter's absence was a relief.

    Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

sheepishly
vsguiltily
10 5.1

In a shy, embarrassed way after doing something wrong or silly

shows internal blame or responsibility more than simple shyness
apologetically
vsguiltily
7 3.9

In a way that shows you are sorry

conveys inner blame or responsibility rather than a spoken apology
contritely
vsguiltily
1 7.9

In a way that shows you feel sorry and guilty for what you did

expresses a general feeling of blame or responsibility rather than full sincerity
shamefacedly
vsguiltily
1 7.9

In a shy, embarrassed way

focuses on being blameworthy or responsible rather than mere embarrassment
penitently
vsguiltily
1 7.2

In a way that shows you feel sorry for doing something wrong

signals blame or responsibility without the focus on atonement
ashamedly
vsguiltily
1 6.8

In a way that shows you feel shame

signals being blameworthy rather than only feeling embarrassed
remorsefully
vsguiltily
1 5.8

Showing that you feel very sorry for something wrong you did

expresses blame or responsibility but not necessarily deep sorrow
repentantly
vsguiltily
1 7.7

In a way that shows regret for doing something wrong

communicates blame or responsibility but not always the intent to change
penitentially
vsguiltily
1 9.6

In a way that shows you are very sorry

conveys blame or responsibility in everyday situations rather than formal penance

Antonyms

innocently
25 2.6

In a way that shows no guilt or knowledge of something wrong

How Guilty

remorsefully
1 5.8
contritely
1 7.9
guiltily
4 3.7
sheepishly
10 5.1

Surface Forms

guiltily positive

Morphology

guiltily = guilty (transparent) = guilt + ly

Standard adverb formation from the adjective 'guilty' using the productive suffix '-ly', so the meaning follows directly.

Etymology

Guiltily comes from guilt ('fault' or the feeling that you did something wrong) plus the ending -ly, which turns a word into an adverb. So, to act guiltily is to behave in a way that shows you feel you are to blame.