guilty pleasure

noun

: something pleasurable that induces a usually minor feeling of guilt

Examples of guilty pleasure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What officials present as instruction can become the marketing of guilty pleasures. — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 There’s a guilty pleasure in subverting a cheesy tourist tee. — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026 But somewhere along the way, pumpkin spice graduated from seasonal guilty pleasure to a full-fledged lifestyle category. — Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026 What is left is the bond of a group of women who survived this beautifully flawed universe together, who leave behind twenty-plus years of laughter, chaos, and guilty pleasures for millions of people. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guilty pleasure

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guilty pleasure was in 1907

Rhymes for guilty pleasure

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Browse Nearby Words

guilty party
guilty pleasure
guilty/troubled conscience
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guilty pleasure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guilty%20pleasure. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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