guilt trip
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A feeling of guilt or remorse, especially one that is induced by another person: A state of distress or self-reproach caused by believing one is at fault for a wrongdoing. Often, this feeling is deliberately provoked by someone else's words or actions to manipulate behavior.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- She gave me such a guilt trip for forgetting her birthday that I bought her an expensive gift.
- Don't lay a guilt trip on me just because I want to spend the weekend alone.
- He's on a guilt trip after realizing how his comments hurt his friend.
Advanced Usage
- "To lay/put a guilt trip on someone": This is the most common verbal phrase associated with the noun. It means to deliberately make someone feel guilty in order to control their actions or get what you want.
- My parents always try to lay a guilt trip on me when I don't visit often enough.
- "To be on a guilt trip": To be actively experiencing strong feelings of guilt, often self-imposed or after being manipulated.
- She's been on a guilt trip ever since she had to cancel the trip.
Variants and Related Words
- Guilt-trip (verb): The act of causing someone to feel guilty in this manipulative way. (Note: This is a compound verb derived from the noun phrase).
- He tried to guilt-trip me into lending him money.
- Guilt (noun): The simpler, more general feeling of having committed a wrong or failed an obligation.
- Remorse (noun): Deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.
Synonyms
- Manipulation: Controlling someone unfairly or deceptively.
- Emotional blackmail: Using someone's feelings (like guilt or fear) to control them.
- Self-reproach: The act of blaming or criticizing oneself.
Related Phrases
- "To play on someone's guilt": Similar to "lay a guilt trip," it means to exploit a person's existing feelings of guilt.
- She knows I feel bad and she's playing on my guilt.
Noun
- remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense