Guilty Of: Standard Pattern
Guilty Of: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.
Use “guilty of” when naming the crime, offense, or wrongdoing for which responsibility is being stated.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| name the crime, offense, wrongdoing, or act for which responsibility is stated | guilty of + noun / -ing form | Use “of” before the wrongdoing or offense. |
| state a guilty verdict without naming the offense | guilty | No following “of” phrase is required when the offense is omitted. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you naming the offense or wrongdoing after “guilty”?
If yes: Use “guilty of.”
If no: Use “guilty” alone when no offense is being named.
Caveat: The page addresses the “guilty of” complement pattern; other meanings and constructions should be judged in their own context.
Examples
The court found him guilty of fraud.
“Of” introduces the offense.
She felt guilty of neglecting the task.
The -ing form names the act after “of.”
The jury found the defendant guilty.
No “of” phrase is needed because the offense is not repeated.
Further guidance
Construction
Use “guilty of” when naming the crime, offense, or wrongdoing for which responsibility is being stated.
Style Boundary
Keep this legal/wrongdoing construction distinct from “feel guilty about,” which expresses a feeling about an action or situation.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- guilty — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for “guilty of” in offense/wrongdoing senses and the distinct “guilty about” feeling construction.