scruple

1 of 3

noun (1)

scru·​ple ˈskrü-pəl 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ¹/₂₄ Apothecaries' ounce see Weights and Measures Table

2

: a minute part or quantity : iota

scruple

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action

2

: the quality or state of being scrupulous

3

: mental reservation

scruple

3 of 3

verb

scrupled; scrupling ˈskrü-p(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to have scruples

2

: to show reluctance on grounds of conscience : hesitate

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• shred
• hint
• sprinkling
• glimmer
• speck
• touch
• splash
• bit
• little
• lick
• trace
• suspicion

Noun (2)

• doubt
• compunction
• qualm
• objection
• regret

Verb

• hesitate
• falter

Choose the Right Synonym for scruple

qualm, scruple, compunction, demur mean a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do.

qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment.

no qualms about plagiarizing

scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle.

no scruples against buying stolen goods

compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim.

had compunctions about lying

demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence.

accepted her decision without demur

Examples of scruple in a Sentence

Noun (1)

went about her business without even a scruple of suspicion

left just a scruple of asparagus on the plate

Noun (2)

the survey showed that many students had few scruples about cheating on papers or exams

Verb

a tabloid journalist who has never scrupled to reveal the most intimate details about the lives of celebrities

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And third, anyone without scruples can sell prescription opioids on the black market. —Keith Humphreys, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2018

Seen against the backdrop of recent events, Vought’s disdain for the rule-of-law scruples of Federalist Society legal thinkers seems entirely in line with Trump’s recent post suggesting a federal judge shouldn’t have authority over his administration. —Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, 20 Mar. 2025

Leon Del Forno: Yes, considering there are fewer examples of creative directors with long tenures, and brands and groups now have fewer scruples about changing creative directors. —Joelle Diderich, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025

Waller — The Viola Davis Suicide Squad and Peacemaker spinoff about the espionage director without scruples remains in the works despite a bumpy development road impacted by the strikes. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025

The president's executive order pausing FCPA enforcement may act as a green light for corporate executives, both foreign and domestic, who have a high risk appetite and few ethical scruples about bribes and other forms of corruption. —Felix Salmon, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025

Theo has misgivings, but his passion for Wynona overrides his scruples. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2025

So Ranieri put his scruples over De Rossi to one side and heard them out. —James Horncastle, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025

Randy Orton essentially played his cold robot doppelgänger, a fellow handsome main-eventer who lacked Cena’s scruples. —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for scruple

• duple
• pupal
• pupil
• quadruple

Kids Definition

scruple

1 of 3 noun

scru·​ple ˈskrü-pəl 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ¹⁄₂₄ Apothecaries' ounce see measure

2

: a tiny part or quantity

scruple

2 of 3 noun

1

: a moral consideration or rule of conduct that makes one uneasy or makes action difficult

2

: a sense of guilt felt when one does wrong

acted without scruple

scruple

3 of 3 verb

scrupled; scrupling -p(ə-)liŋ 

: to have scruples

Etymology

Noun

Middle English scriple "a unit of weight," from Latin scrupulus "small sharp stone"

Noun

from early French scrupule "scruple," from Latin scrupulus "scruple, a small sharp stone"

Word Origin

Having a sharp pebble in your shoe can be painful enough to keep you from walking until you remove it. That fact was well known by the ancient Romans, who regularly wore sandals. Scruple comes from the Latin word scrupulus, which originally meant "a small sharp stone." The ancient Romans also used scrupulus to refer to a feeling or thought that might keep a person from doing something that was not quite right. It seemed to them to affect the conscience in the same way that a tiny stone in the shoe would keep a person from being able to walk. This second meaning of scrupulus is the one that still survives in our English word scruple.

Medical Definition

scruple

noun

scru·​ple ˈskrü-pəl 

: a unit of apothecaries' weight equal to 20 grains or ¹/₃ dram or 1.296 grams