compunction

noun

com·punc·tion kəm-ˈpəŋ(k)-shən How to pronounce compunction (audio)

: anxiety arising from awareness of guilt

compunctions of conscience

: distress of mind over an anticipated action or result

… showed no compunction in planning devilish engines of … destruction.

Havelock Ellis

: a twinge of misgiving : scruple

cheated without compunction

… he had no compunction about brushing aside legal technicalities.

Robert Penn Warren

compunctious

kəm-ˈpəŋ(k)-shəs How to pronounce compunction (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

An old proverb says "a guilty conscience needs no accuser," and it's true that the sting of a guilty conscience—or a conscience that is provoked by the contemplation of doing something wrong—can prick very hard indeed. The sudden guilty "prickings" of compunction are reflected in the word's etymological history. Compunction comes (via Anglo-French compunction and Middle English compunccioun) from Latin compungere, which means "to prick hard" or "to sting." Compungere, in turn, derives from pungere, meaning "to prick," which is the ancestor of some other prickly words in English, such as puncture and even point.

Example Sentences

a brutal murderer who killed without compunction He feels no compunction about his crimes. He has no compunctions about his crimes.

Recent Examples on the Web Trump apparently feels no compunction, as a former President, about questioning the legitimacy of the nation’s courts or the rule of law.

Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 5 June 2022 Lloyd has no compunction about kidnapping Fitzroy’s niece (Julia Butters) as leverage, for instance.

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 14 July 2022 In the end, Johnson was, is, an entitled, charismatic politician, who has felt the rules were made for others, and had no compunction about fabricating stories to get his way.

Frida Ghitis, CNN, 12 July 2022 Two, the British Tories have an ingrained culture of stabbing their leaders in the back and in the front without compunction.

NBC News, 10 July 2022 The Biden administration still has the opportunity to determine definitively who killed Shireen Abu Akleh and turn her case into a deterrent for those who might otherwise have little compunction about murdering members of the press.

Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 7 June 2022 The man who had no compunction whatsoever about slaughtering children left a woman who just tried to kill him alive.

Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 June 2022 For me, reciting the compunction statement became a prayerful reckoning with herself.

Jennifer Maas, Variety, 4 June 2022 Their love had cooled, and Ms. Smart showed little compunction in letting someone take her place.

New York Times, 19 May 2022 See More

compunction

noun

as in doubt

an uneasy feeling about the rightness of what one is doing or going to do throughout her school years she cheated without compunction

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

doubt
remorse
scruple
qualm
regret
objection
guilt
misgiving
conscience
suspicion
uncertainty
unease
distrust
question
skepticism
uneasiness
reluctance
mistrust
contrition
incertitude
dubiety
reluctance
protest
demur
penitence
remonstrance
misdoubt
unwillingness
repentance
indisposition
reservation
self-reproach
disinclination
unwillingness
shame
uncertainness
aversion
qualmishness
fuss

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

certainty
certitude
sureness
conviction
confidence
aplomb
assurance
self-assurance
self-confidence

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of compunction are demur, qualm, and scruple. While all these words mean "a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do," compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim.

had compunctions about lying

In some situations, the words demur and compunction are roughly equivalent. However, demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence.

accepted her decision without demur

Although the words qualm and compunction have much in common, qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment.

no qualms about plagiarizing

While in some cases nearly identical to compunction, scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle.

no scruples against buying stolen goods

单词	compunction
释义	compunction noun com·punc·tion kəm-ˈpəŋ(k)-shən 1 a : anxiety arising from awareness of guilt compunctions of conscience b : distress of mind over an anticipated action or result … showed no compunction in planning devilish engines of … destruction. Havelock Ellis 2 : a twinge of misgiving : scruple cheated without compunction … he had no compunction about brushing aside legal technicalities. Robert Penn Warren compunctious kəm-ˈpəŋ(k)-shəs adjective Did you know? An old proverb says "a guilty conscience needs no accuser," and it's true that the sting of a guilty conscience—or a conscience that is provoked by the contemplation of doing something wrong—can prick very hard indeed. The sudden guilty "prickings" of compunction are reflected in the word's etymological history. Compunction comes (via Anglo-French compunction and Middle English compunccioun) from Latin compungere, which means "to prick hard" or "to sting." Compungere, in turn, derives from pungere, meaning "to prick," which is the ancestor of some other prickly words in English, such as puncture and even point. Synonyms misgiving qualm scruple See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a brutal murderer who killed without compunction He feels no compunction about his crimes. He has no compunctions about his crimes. Recent Examples on the Web Trump apparently feels no compunction, as a former President, about questioning the legitimacy of the nation’s courts or the rule of law. Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 5 June 2022 Lloyd has no compunction about kidnapping Fitzroy’s niece (Julia Butters) as leverage, for instance. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 14 July 2022 In the end, Johnson was, is, an entitled, charismatic politician, who has felt the rules were made for others, and had no compunction about fabricating stories to get his way. Frida Ghitis, CNN, 12 July 2022 Two, the British Tories have an ingrained culture of stabbing their leaders in the back and in the front without compunction. NBC News, 10 July 2022 The Biden administration still has the opportunity to determine definitively who killed Shireen Abu Akleh and turn her case into a deterrent for those who might otherwise have little compunction about murdering members of the press. Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 7 June 2022 The man who had no compunction whatsoever about slaughtering children left a woman who just tried to kill him alive. Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 June 2022 For me, reciting the compunction statement became a prayerful reckoning with herself. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 4 June 2022 Their love had cooled, and Ms. Smart showed little compunction in letting someone take her place. New York Times, 19 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English compunccioun, from Anglo-French compunction, from Late Latin compunction-, compunctio, from Latin compungere to prick hard, sting, from com- + pungere to prick — more at pungent First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a compunction noun as in doubt an uneasy feeling about the rightness of what one is doing or going to do throughout her school years she cheated without compunction Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance doubt remorse scruple qualm regret objection guilt misgiving conscience suspicion uncertainty unease distrust question skepticism uneasiness reluctance mistrust contrition incertitude dubiety reluctance protest demur penitence remonstrance misdoubt unwillingness repentance indisposition reservation self-reproach disinclination unwillingness shame uncertainness aversion qualmishness fuss Antonyms & Near Antonyms certainty certitude sureness conviction confidence aplomb assurance self-assurance self-confidence See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of compunction are demur, qualm, and scruple. While all these words mean "a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do," compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim. had compunctions about lying In some situations, the words demur and compunction are roughly equivalent. However, demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence. accepted her decision without demur Although the words qualm and compunction have much in common, qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment. no qualms about plagiarizing While in some cases nearly identical to compunction, scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle. no scruples against buying stolen goods
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compunction

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun

Synonym Chooser