scruple
1 of 3noun (1)
scruple
2 of 3noun (2)
scruple
3 of 3verb
intransitive verb
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- ace
- bit
- crumb
- dab
- dram
- driblet
- glimmer
- hint
- lick
- little
- mite
- nip
- ounce
- particle
- peanuts
- ray
- scintilla
- shade
- shadow
- shred
- skosh
- smack
- smell
- smidgen
- smidgeon
- smidgin
- smidge
- snap
- soupçon
- spark
- spatter
- speck
- splash
- spot
- sprinkling
- strain
- streak
- suspicion
- tad
- touch
- trace
Noun (2)
- compunction
- misgiving
- qualm
Verb
- balance
- dither
- falter
- halt
- hang back
- hesitate
- shilly-shally
- stagger
- teeter
- vacillate
- waver
- wobble
- wabble
Example Sentences
Word History
Noun (1)
Middle English scrupil, scriple, from Anglo-French scruple, from Latin scrupulus a unit of weight, diminutive of scrupus sharp stone
Noun (2)
Middle English scripil, scrupill, from Anglo-French scruble, from Latin scrupulus, diminutive of scrupus source of uneasiness, literally, sharp stone
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
scruple
noun
Medical Definition
scruple
noun
scruple 1 of 3
noun (1)
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shred
- little
- hint
- sprinkling
- speck
- glimmer
- touch
- splash
- bit
- lick
- trace
- suspicion
- particle
- scintilla
- tad
- ounce
- dram
- dab
- spark
- handful
- pinch
- smidgen
- spatter
- smidgeon
- smell
- soupçon
- smidgin
- smack
- crumb
- streak
- fleck
- sliver
- minimum
- mite
- strain
- driblet
- ray
- smidge
- bite
- peanuts
- whit
- nip
- dash
- grain
- iota
- shadow
- taste
- drop
- drop in the bucket
- shade
- ace
- modicum
- vestige
- spot
- jot
- dose
- semblance
- mote
- portion
- skosh
- syllable
- morsel
- minim
- snap
- nibble
- tittle
- fragment
- atom
- scrap
- part
- shiver
- hoot
- molecule
- smatter
- scattering
- dot
- granule
- nubbin
- flake
- patch
- smattering
- tatter
- section
- flyspeck
- shard
- splinter
- paring
- shaving
- clipping
- chip
- smithereens
- shot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quantity
- mass
- wealth
- plenty
- abundance
- bushel
- mess
- lot
- profusion
- deal
- pile
- heaps
- peck
- fistful
- bundle
- loads
- bucket
- mountain
- gobs
- stack
- barrel
- wad
- boatload
- scads
- excess
- oodles
- raft
- volume
- embarrassment
- reams
- lashings
- passel
- superfluity
- potful
- surplus
- superabundance
- overmuch
- much
- overflow
- overkill
- overabundance
- surfeit
- overage
- lashins
- oversupply
- lump
- slab
- bonanza
- hunk
- chunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
- speck
- particle
- shred
- bit
- fleck
- grain
- scrap
- mouthful
- crumb
- mote
- lick
- morsel
- sliver
- snippet
- patch
- atom
- tittle
- dribble
- molecule
- trace
- snip
- whisper
- suspicion
- pinch
- drop
- bite
- fragment
- granule
- nubbin
- iota
- whit
- nugget
- ounce
- flyspeck
- fraction
- dash
- modicum
- jot
- taste
- halfpenny
- nibble
- touch
- smidgen
- smatter
- minim
- smidgeon
- smidgin
- shard
- streak
- ha'penny
- portion
- shiver
- mite
- strain
- driblet
- dab
- section
- flake
- kenning
- tidbit
- smidge
- splinter
- part
- spot
- nutshell
- clipping
- ace
- paring
- shaving
- titbit
- haet
- chip
- smithereens
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quantity
- lump
- slab
- chunk
- mass
- wealth
- abundance
- profusion
- bushel
- deal
- hunk
- heaps
- volume
- gob
- pile
- pot
- loads
- bucket
- peck
- mountain
- barrel
- stack
- raft
- scads
- wad
scruple
2 of 3noun (2)
Synonyms & Similar Words
- doubt
- compunction
- qualm
- objection
- regret
- misgiving
- remorse
- guilt
- conscience
- suspicion
- uncertainty
- dubiety
- question
- distrust
- reluctance
- misdoubt
- mistrust
- skepticism
- incertitude
- unease
- uneasiness
- reluctance
- demur
- indisposition
- remonstrance
- reservation
- unwillingness
- disinclination
- unwillingness
- contrition
- protest
- penitence
- self-reproach
- uncertainness
- shame
- repentance
- aversion
- qualmishness
- fuss
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- certainty
- certitude
- conviction
- assurance
- confidence
- sureness
- aplomb
- self-assurance
- self-confidence
scruple
3 of 3verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- hesitate
- falter
- debate
- vacillate
- dither
- waver
- hang back
- wabble
- pause
- stagger
- balance
- wait
- shilly-shally
- halt
- wobble
- haw
- deliberate
- delay
- sway
- teeter
- dawdle
- procrastinate
- hem
- linger
- ponder
- equivocate
- weigh
- back down
- consider
- dally
- hedge
- pussyfoot
- waffle
- oscillate
- chicken (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- decide
- stir
- plunge (in)
- dive (in)
- continue
- advance
- budge
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of scruple are compunction, demur, and qualm. While all these words mean "a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do," scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle.
The meanings of compunction and scruple largely overlap; however, compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim.
Although the words demur and scruple have much in common, demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence.
The synonyms qualm and scruple are sometimes interchangeable, but qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment.
- stepped screw
- stepped up
- stepped-up
- steppeland
- stepper
- stepper motor
- steppers
- steppes
- stepping
- stepping (along)
- stepping (on)
- stepping along
- stepping aside
- stepping aside (from)
- stepping aside from
- stepping back
- stepping down
- stepping down (from)
- stepping down from
- stepping forward
- stepping in
- stepping into
- stepping on
- stepping on it
- stepping out