a guilt trip

guilt trip

1. noun A deep feeling of guilt or remorse. I'm having a guilt trip for not being able to attend my sister's wedding.
2. verb To make others feel guilty, especially in an attempt to manipulate them. Kelly's parents were always trying to guilt trip her for not giving them grandchildren. You can't guilt trip me into donating money, I give enough to charity already.
See also: guilt, trip
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a ˈguilt trip

(informal) things you say to somebody in order to make them feel guilty about something: Don’t lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.
See also: guilt, trip
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • guilt trip
  • guilt complex
  • racked with guilt
  • put a guilt trip on (one)
  • lay a guilt trip on
  • lay a guilt trip on (one)
  • lay a guilt trip on someone
  • guilty
  • a guilty conscience needs no accuser
  • feel bad about (something)
References in periodicals archive
Poughkeepsie, NY, April 20, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Most of us like to travel, but nobody likes being taken on a guilt trip.
Love) wrote an article for Psychology Today entitled How to Not Get Taken on a Guilt Trip. The article was popular it received 4.8K Likes within in 24 hours of its posting.
How to Not Get Taken on a Guilt Trip
I really resent the fact that you're putting a guilt trip on the pensioners who are getting their long-awaited free travel.
Vent your spleen
Tell her how unfair it is for her to lay a guilt trip on you for having a boyfriend.
BFF dilemma of the month: I have a boyfriend, but my BFF doesn't and she really wants one. She makes me feel really guilty that I have a BF. Help!
At any rate, I simply don't want to bah-humbug anybody's good time this Christmas season, neither do I feel right about laying a guilt trip on people about the things they buy for each other.
Hang your stockings with care