Synonyms of scruples

scruples 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of scruple

1

as in specks

a very small amount

went about her business without even a scruple of suspicion

Synonyms & Similar Words

• specks
• sprinklings
• little
• hints
• glimmers
• splashes
• touches
• bits
• suspicions
• licks
• traces
• sparks
• particles
• shadows
• shreds
• dabs
• ounces
• crumbs
• smacks
• shades
• drams
• driblets
• handfuls
• flecks
• rays
• slivers
• streaks
• soupçons
• mites
• peanuts
• strains
• nips
• spatters
• bites
• pinches
• smells
• aces
• smidgens
• spots
• dashes
• scintillas
• drops
• drops in the bucket
• tastes
• grains
• vestiges
• snaps
• parts
• semblances
• skoshes
• molecules
• minims
• doses
• syllables
• minima
• granules
• dots
• atoms
• portions
• fragments
• scraps
• motes
• iotas
• morsels
• jots
• nibbles
• patches
• whits
• sections
• chips
• flakes
• flyspecks
• modicums
• hoots
• shivers
• nubbins
• smatterings
• shards
• splinters
• scatterings
• tittles
• tatters
• smatters
• shavings
• smithereens
• clippings
• parings
• shots

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• quantities
• masses
• loads
• piles
• bushels
• mountains
• lots
• heaps
• deals
• bundles
• buckets
• barrels
• rafts
• abundances
• messes
• gobs
• stacks
• scads
• oodles
• reams
• pecks
• wealths
• wads
• fistfuls
• boatloads
• volumes
• lashings
• excesses
• much
• embarrassments
• surpluses
• profusions
• superfluities
• potfuls
• plenties
• passels
• overmuch
• overflows
• overages
• bonanzas
• slabs
• chunks
• lumps
• hunks
• surfeits
• oversupplies
• overabundances
• superabundances
• overkills

2

as in particles

a very small piece

left just a scruple of asparagus on the plate

Synonyms & Similar Words

• specks
• particles
• flecks
• bits
• scraps
• grains
• crumbs
• snippets
• mouthfuls
• patches
• molecules
• slivers
• atoms
• granules
• motes
• bites
• morsels
• licks
• fragments
• drops
• suspicions
• dribbles
• nuggets
• flyspecks
• whispers
• traces
• nubbins
• snips
• dashes
• fractions
• tastes
• pinches
• portions
• shreds
• tittles
• shards
• minims
• ounces
• sections
• halfpence
• parts
• touches
• streaks
• driblets
• nibbles
• mites
• strains
• nutshells
• chips
• tidbits
• flakes
• iotas
• splinters
• aces
• whits
• dabs
• spots
• shivers
• smatters
• smidgens
• ha'pennies
• clippings
• modicums
• jots
• haets
• kennings
• shavings
• parings
• smithereens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slabs
• quantities
• chunks
• lumps
• masses
• gobs
• volumes
• loads
• hunks
• piles
• mountains
• bushels
• deals
• heaps
• pots
• barrels
• buckets
• rafts
• abundances
• stacks
• scads
• wealths
• pecks
• profusions
• wads

scruples

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of scruple

as in doubts

an uneasy feeling about the rightness of what one is doing or going to do

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• doubts
• qualms
• compunctions
• objections
• regrets
• misgivings
• guilts
• consciences
• remorses
• questions
• suspicions
• uncertainties
• skepticism
• reluctances
• reservations
• distrust
• mistrust
• indispositions
• remonstrances
• protests
• repentances
• misdoubts
• self-reproaches
• shames
• dubieties
• incertitudes
• demurs
• aversions
• contritions
• disinclinations
• penitences
• fusses

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assurances
• convictions
• confidences
• certainties
• certitudes
• self-confidences
• aplombs

scruples

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of scruple

as in hesitates

to show uncertainty about the right course of action

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitates
• falters
• debates
• vacillates
• hangs back
• wavers
• balances
• dithers
• staggers
• pauses
• waits
• wobbles
• halts
• delays
• shilly-shallies
• lingers
• sways
• teeters
• hems
• haws
• procrastinates
• deliberates
• ponders
• chickens (out)
• dawdles
• backs down
• weighs
• hedges
• equivocates
• dallies
• considers
• waffles
• pussyfoots
• oscillates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dives (in)
• plunges (in)
• decides
• stirs
• advances
• continues
• budges

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scruples

Noun

Still, there are some smart, well-meaning voices of caution who warn Democrats against forgetting their scruples. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026

The people of every commune knew and feared those like him — stern figures in black whose ideological devotion appeared to outweigh any moral scruples. — Matthew Campbell, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026

Colonial authorities regularly questioned their character, scruples, and business practices; Grietje and Anthony returned the favor. — Literary Hub, 14 May 2026

And like any good femme fatale, Maddy is given savvy at the expense of moral scruples. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026

But the squirrelly, middle-aged guy at the weird surplus store in northern Florida had no such scruples. — Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026

Sometimes, a billionaire has very questionable scruples as to the best ways to go about things. — Jevon Phillips, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026

These firms now pay their rainmakers like Wall Street stars and have dropped their courtly scruples for relentless commercialism. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026

Mainstream Republicans and right-leaning unaffiliated voters will gravitate to candidates with experience and scruples. — Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025