white guilt

[ hwahyt gilt, wahyt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the feelings of shame and remorse some white people experience when they recognize the legacy of racism and racial injustice and perceive the ways they have benefited from it.

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of white guilt¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They responded by blaming his “white guilt” for “thousands more Austin Metcalfs.”

From

But beneath her white guilt she’s ultimately just as attached to the creature comforts of American wealth as the rest of her family.

From

I think many of them would be blown away because they’ve been fed a distorted caricature of feminism and racial justice as based in man-hating and white guilt.

From

“It’s about the West and the East and this idea of wealth disparity and white guilt in connection to Georgia,” he says.

From

It’s a performance of racial acceptance; these fans are literally buying into their own white guilt.

From

white-ground white gum

Browse