Guilty means responsible for doing something wrong or breaking a rule. When you're guilty of something, you actually did it. If you broke your sister's toy, you're guilty of breaking it. The opposite is innocent, which means you didn't do it.

In court, when a jury finds someone guilty of a crime, they're saying the evidence proves that person committed it. A not guilty verdict means the jury believes the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove the person did it.

The word also describes a specific uncomfortable feeling you get when you've done something wrong. This feeling is called guilt. You might feel guilty after lying to your parents, even if they don't find out. Some people feel guilty even when they haven't actually done anything wrong.

When you feel guilty about something you've done, that feeling can push you to make things right: to apologize, fix what you broke, or tell the truth.