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.
There’s a way that politics is discussed almost as accoutrement or guilty pleasure. Arielle Angel, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2025 Now Hallmark is doubling down on that guilty pleasure TV, in an effort to keep viewers engaged outside of the traditional Christmas season, on both its linear channel and streaming option. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025 From deep cuts to guilty pleasures, each guest peels back the layers of the songs that left a mark on them — for better or worse. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025 In that way, watching Married to Medicine and The Real Housewives of Atlanta becomes more than just a guilty pleasure. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 8 Apr. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Guilty pleasure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guilty%20pleasure. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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