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Glite Dictionary
pang of guilt

pang of guilt

1 6.1
A sudden sharp feeling of regret about something you did or did not do
  • noun
  • /pæŋ ʌv ɡɪlt/
translation icon : punzada de culpa
  • He experienced a sharp pang of guilt after realizing he had forgotten her birthday.
  • feel pangs of guilt
  • suffer pangs of guilt
  • pang of guilt about leaving

Examples

  • Instead, she could not stifle the first faint pangs of guilt.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Now that they had resurfaced, Ruth felt pangs of guilt.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Look, I'm having a pang of guilt right now.

    Daddy's Home (2015)

  • She felt a pang of guilt for the trick she had played on him.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The son looked at the garden that he'd once weeded and felt pangs of guilt that his father was still working there every day.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I still lie awake some nights and suffer pangs of guilt over this long-ago practical joke, which was stupid, mean, and not at all funny.

    Blog text (32)

  • I felt a pang of guilt that she'd been awake worrying about me and that I'd been such a bitch on my way out the door.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The instant Martin Humphries saw Kris Cardenas, he realized that she was suffering pangs of guilt.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • But Desdemona felt a pang of guilt at the thought of leaving the swans behind in Stark's coldly elegant garden.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Seeing the little girls having such a good time, Evan suddenly misses his own daughters and feels a pang of guilt for not having brought them along, even though they adore staying with his parents, who spoil them rotten.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

sting
vspang of guilt
21 4.2

A sharp feeling of sadness or hurt after an unkind act

is more specific, naming a sudden regret or remorse rather than any pain
twinge of guilt
vspang of guilt
1 5.0

A sudden sharp feeling of guilt

is the same idea but indicates a stronger, sharper feeling
guilt pang
vspang of guilt
7.0

A sudden strong feeling of being sorry for something you did

has identical meaning and names the same sudden sharp remorse

Antonyms

satisfaction
192 2.2

A pleasant feeling when you achieve something or your needs are met

How Strong

remorse
156 4.5
regret
292 1.0
pang of guilt
1 6.1

Surface Forms

pang of guilt singular
pangs of guilt plural

Morphology

pang + of + guilt

The phrase 'pang of guilt' is directly compositional: 'pang' denotes a sudden, sharp twinge and 'guilt' names the remorseful emotion, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it means a sudden sharp feeling of remorse. The prepositional linking pattern 'X of Y' to indicate a sensation or emotion is common cross-linguistically, reinforcing its transparency.

Etymology

Pang of guilt comes from the old use of pang to mean a sudden sharp pain, like a quick stab in the chest. Put together with guilt, it creates the image of a sudden emotional pain, so it means a quick, sharp feeling of 'regret'.