Finesentence

Scruple Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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scruple

scru-ple

🇺🇸 /ˈskɹupəɫ/ · 🇬🇧 /skɹˈuːpəl/

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

moral dilemma

A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action.

Synonyms

conscience, misgiving, qualm.

Examples of usage

  • She had no scruples about telling a lie to cover up her mistake.
  • He acted without scruple, even if it meant hurting others.
Context #2 | Verb

moral decision

To hesitate or be reluctant to do something that one thinks may be wrong.

Synonyms

doubt, hesitate, pause.

Examples of usage

  • He scrupled to deceive her with false promises.
  • She scrupled at the idea of cheating on the test.

Translations

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Quick facts about “scruple”

Scruple is a 2-syllable noun and verb (scru-ple). It is pronounced /ˈskɹupəɫ/ in American English and /skɹˈuːpəl/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 6 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #17,174 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'scruple'

The word 'scruple' originated from Latin 'scrupulus', meaning a small sharp stone or pebble. It was used metaphorically to refer to a moral or ethical difficulty. Over time, the meaning evolved to signify a hesitation or doubt regarding the morality of an action. The concept of 'scruple' has been explored in philosophy, ethics, and literature for centuries.

Rhymes

Scruple rhymes with pupil, quadruple, goupil, knueppel, n-tuple and ruple.

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Word Frequency Rank

With rank #17,174, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.