as in ashamed
feeling sorrow for a wrong that one has done
he appeared not the least bit compunctious about ditching his friends at the restaurant and leaving them to pay the bill
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compunctious
Adjective
-
Not by feeling ashamed, but not by ignoring or forgetting the history either.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026 -
Be ashamed and humiliated and would have apologized.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But the latest twist in the sorry tale has raised questions as to whether the royals have the full and wholehearted support and cooperation of the nation.—
Jamie Timson,
TheWeek,
20 Feb. 2026
-
And, Mulder and Scully, sorry about that — get back to work.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Melling’s scenes all took place in the objectively less exciting muggle universe, occurring along a fairly straightforward arc from spoiled bully to remorseful young adult.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
-
This is because these remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Frenchman fluffed his lines in the first half, skewing wide on his left foot when well placed in front of goal, and also saw an almost apologetic effort blocked shortly before Bournemouth’s equaliser.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Creative work becomes pre-apologetic.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
So was recalling important, impactful, or regretful experiences from his childhood.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Simon is angry, regretful, and disappointed at his lack of control.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Compunctious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compunctious. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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