guilt complex

A "guilt complex" involves persistent and often irrational feelings of guilt, significantly impacting mental health and daily life.

🇺🇸 US Voice:

🇬🇧 UK Voice:

Definition

(technical, clinical)A chronic emotional state marked by excessive feelings of guilt, often unrelated to any specific action or event.

Her guilt complex made her constantly apologize for things that weren't her fault.
Living with a guilt complex can severely affect one's self-esteem and relationships.

(informal)A persistent sense of having done something wrong, even when there is no clear reason.

He couldn't shake off his guilt complex, always feeling like he had let people down.
Her guilt complex often led her to overcompensate in her interactions with others.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "guilt complex":