# guilt trip

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/guilt-trip
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A feeling of shame or embarrassment, especially if self-indulgent, unwarranted, exaggerated or felt over a significant period of time.

## Examples

- Do not try to guilt trip me into doing your chores.
- My mother tried to guilt trip me for not visiting her enough, even though I call every week.
- He often used a subtle guilt trip to manipulate his colleagues, making them feel responsible for his own lack of progress on the project.

## Origin

From *guilt* + *trip*, first appearing in 1972. The term was recorded in the novel *Any Minute I Can Split* by Judith Rossner.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.