SURVIVOR GUILT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does survivor guilt mean? 

• SURVIVOR GUILT (noun)
  The noun SURVIVOR GUILT has 1 sense:

1. a deep feeling of guilt often experienced by those who have survived some catastrophe that took the lives of many others; derives in part from a feeling that they did not do enough to save the others who perished and in part from feelings of being unworthy relative to those who died

  Familiarity information: SURVIVOR GUILT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SURVIVOR GUILT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A deep feeling of guilt often experienced by those who have survived some catastrophe that took the lives of many others; derives in part from a feeling that they did not do enough to save the others who perished and in part from feelings of being unworthy relative to those who died

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Context example:

survivor guilt was first noted in those who survived the Holocaust

Hypernyms ("survivor guilt" is a kind of...):

guilt; guilt feelings; guilt trip; guilty conscience (remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense)

Holonyms ("survivor guilt" is a part of...):

posttraumatic stress disorder; PTSD (an anxiety disorder associated with serious traumatic events and characterized by such symptoms as survivor guilt, reliving the trauma in dreams, numbness and lack of involvement with reality, or recurrent thoughts and images)