COMPUNCTIONS Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

compunctions

noun

plural of compunction

as in doubts

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

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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.

Recent Examples of compunctions Johnson clearly felt no such compunctions. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026 Russia and Ukraine show no compunctions about killing the civilians of their enemy. — Oded J K Faran, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025 The boundaries of the world are delineated neatly by your compunctions. — Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for compunctions

Noun

Shares tumbled to as low as 79 cents a share intraday in late 2008, as doubts grew about its ability to stay in business.

— Justin Zacks, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Soon, in spite of my doubts, we were informed that, the next week, cameras were coming in.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of doubts

Noun

Despite her qualms, Chavchavadze continued to see Jack throughout his presidency.

— Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
The warm and charismatic straight-shooter, who has clocked 20 years in the biz, has no qualms with exposing the inner workings of what can be a highly secretive industry.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of qualms

Noun

Between aesthetic objections and concern for their bottom line, traditional publishing houses refused to have their titles printed in anything other than hardcovers.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Their content objections also became entwined with safety concerns amid building demonstrations by activists.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of objections

Noun

Spreadsheets existed in 2006, but here they are kept, like everyone’s shame and scruples, firmly out of sight.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Hilton rejects the argument floated by some of his former colleagues that his scruples became a casualty of his ambition.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of scruples

Noun

Whatever Lee’s initial misgivings, Netflix—which, in 2023, announced a two-and-a-half-billion-dollar investment in Korean television series and movies—threw its weight behind the project.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
That result jazzed me, especially given my initial misgivings about the keyboard.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of misgivings

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compunction

compunctions

compunctious

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“Compunctions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compunctions. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of compunctions

noun

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