How to pronounce guilty
Say it like GHIL-tee. Guilty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHIL).
- GHIL
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Guilty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GHILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of guilty
American and British speakers say guilty in essentially the same way: /ˈɡɪlti/ in the US and /ˈɡɪlti/ in the UK.
British respelling: GHIL-tee.
What does guilty mean?
- responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act“guilty of murder”“the guilty person”
- showing a sense of guilt“a guilty look”“the hangdog and shamefaced air of the retreating enemy”
Where does guilty come from?
From Middle English gilty, gulty, from Old English gyltiġ (“offending, guilty”); equivalent to guilt + -y.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with guilty
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of guilty.
Questions about saying guilty
How do you pronounce guilty?
Say GHIL-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡɪlti/. In British English it is /ˈɡɪlti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in guilty?
Guilty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHIL). Broken into parts: GHIL · tee.
Do Americans and Brits say guilty the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡɪlti/ and the British form is /ˈɡɪlti/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.