Cool MateI feel guilt vs Regret
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
I feel guilt
Top 2,000 (common)
Regret
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Most common: Regret
| I feel guilt | Regret | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //aɪ fiːl ɡɪlt//🇺🇸 //aɪ fil ɡɪlt// | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈɡret/","/rɪˈɡrets/","/rɪˈɡretɪd/","/rɪˈɡretɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈɡret/","/rɪˈɡrets/","/rɪˈɡretɪd/","/rɪˈɡretɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | I have a feeling of being bad about something I did. | To feel sad or sorry about something you did or didn't do. |
| Example | I feel guilt about not visiting my grandmother last week. | I regret not studying harder for my exams. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | feel guilt, overcome guilt, guilt trip, guilt about, guilt for | bitterly, deeply, greatly, begin to, come to, grow to, bitterly, deeply, greatly, begin to, come to, grow to |
| Antonyms | - | satisfaction, contentment, pride |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'guilt' as a verb - 'guilt' is a noun., Using 'feels' instead of 'feel' with 'I' as the subject., Incorrectly using 'guilt' in positive contexts. | 'Regret' is often confused with 'remorse'. Remorse includes a stronger sense of guilt., Learners might say 'I regret to do...' instead of 'I regret doing...'., Confusion between 'regret' and 'regrettable' which is an adjective. |
| Usage notes | Use 'feel guilt' when expressing remorse. It is neutral and can be used in both spoken and written contexts. | Use 'regret' to express feelings about past actions. It's appropriate in neutral to formal contexts, but less so in casual conversations where simpler phrases might fit better. |
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Frequently asked questions: I feel guilt vs Regret
What's the difference between I feel guilt and Regret?
I feel guilt: I have a feeling of being bad about something I did. Regret: To feel sad or sorry about something you did or didn't do.
Which is more common: I feel guilt and Regret?
Regret is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
I feel guilt: I feel guilt about not visiting my grandmother last week. Regret: I regret not studying harder for my exams.
Can I use I feel guilt and Regret interchangeably?
Not always. I feel guilt and Regret are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.