- To make someone feel guilty, usually to manipulate them into doing something or changing their behavior. Can be a noun (the act or instance) or a verb (to perform the act).
Explanation
Origin
- Combines guilt (the emotion) with trip (a journey or experience, often negative or altered, like power trip or acid trip).
- A guilt trip is thus a manipulative 'journey' someone forces another person onto, characterized by feelings of guilt.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Lay it on thick
- Play the martyr (acting overly self-sacrificing to induce guilt/sympathy)
- Work their feelings
Milder/Standard:
- Appeal to someone's sense of guilt/duty
- Make someone feel obligated
- Apply emotional pressure
Vulgar/Emphatic (Expressing strong rejection of the tactic):
- Fuck that guilt trip bullshit.
- Stop trying to manipulate me with that crap.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal. Commonly used in personal conversations. In formal contexts, emotional manipulation or inducing guilt might be used.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Learners need to grasp the manipulative intent. It's not just about someone feeling guilty, but about guilt being *used* by another person to achieve a goal.
Examples
- Noun: She laid a massive guilt trip on me for missing her party.
- Verb: Don't try to guilt trip me; I've made my decision.
- Verb: He's constantly guilt tripping his kids about visiting more often.
Dialogue
Anna: Are you coming to the family reunion?
Ben: I don't know, it's a long drive...
Anna: Mom keeps saying how sad Grandma will be if *everyone* isn't there, and how much work she's put in... major guilt trip.
Ben: Ugh, she's a master of the guilt trip. Fine, I guess I have to go now.
Social Media Examples
- Post: Classic parental guilt trip text received: 'Hope you're having fun while we're here missing you...' 😂 Love them really! #family #guilttrip
- Tweet: PSA: Trying to guilt trip someone into breaking their boundaries is NOT okay. Respect 'no'. #boundaries #mentalhealth
- Comment: That sounds like a massive guilt trip. Don't fall for it!
Response Patterns
- If accused: I'm not guilt tripping you! I'm just telling you how I feel.
- Acknowledging (often reluctantly): Okay, okay, the guilt trip worked. I'll do it.
- Resisting: That guilt trip isn't going to work on me. or Don't even try it.
- Identifying it in others: Sounds like he's trying to guilt trip you.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- After someone describes being guilt-tripped: Wow, what did they say? or Are you going to give in?
- The person being guilt-tripped might resist, comply under duress, or try to address the manipulation directly.
- The person doing the guilt-tripping might intensify their efforts if initially unsuccessful.
Conversation Starter
- No. Arises when discussing interpersonal dynamics, manipulation, or reasons for reluctant actions.
Intonation
- Noun: Stress on GUILT trip. It was a total GUILT TRIP.
- Verb: Stress on GUILT trip. Stop GUILT TRIPPING me!
- Often said with annoyance or resignation.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood and used, especially in contexts of family or relationship discussions.
Regional Variations
- Common across all major English-speaking regions.