Scruple — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskrü-pəl/ scru·ple

Meaning & Definition of Scruple

Scruple (noun)

  1. a unit of capacity equal to 1/24 Apothecaries' ounce
  2. a minute part or quantity, iota
  3. an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action
  4. the quality or state of being scrupulous
  5. mental reservation

Scruple (verb)

  1. to have scruples
  2. to show reluctance on grounds of conscience, hesitate

Scruple (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a very small amount

    "went about her business without even a scruple of suspicion"

    similar: ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, ray, scintilla, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, drop in the bucket
    related: hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, tittle, vestige, whit, atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite, nibble, taste, handful, scattering, smatter, smattering, dose, shot, chip, flake, fragment, shard, shiver, sliver, smithereens, splinter, tatter, clipping, paring, shaving
    near: abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (chiefly British), loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth, volume, bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, chunk, hunk, lump, slab

  2. a very small piece

    "left just a scruple of asparagus on the plate"

    similar: atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scrap, snip, snippet, speck, tittle
    related: ace, dab, dash, driblet, drop, fraction, haet (chiefly Scottish), halfpenny, ha'penny, iota, jot, kenning (chiefly Scottish), lick, minim, mite, modicum, nutshell, ounce, pinch, shred, smatter, smidgen, spot, strain, streak, suspicion, taste, touch, trace, whisper, whit, bite, mouthful, nibble, tidbit, fragment, part, portion, section, chip, flake, shard, shiver, sliver, splinter, clipping, paring, shaving, smithereens
    near: chunk, gob, hunk, lump, slab, abundance, barrel, bucket, bushel, deal, heaps, loads, mass, mountain, peck, pile, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, scads, stack, volume, wad, wealth

  3. 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"

    similar: compunction, misgiving, qualm
    related: conscience, distrust, doubt, dubiety, incertitude, misdoubt, mistrust, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainness, uncertainty, qualmishness, unease, uneasiness, reluctance, unwillingness, demur, fuss, objection, protest, question, remonstrance, aversion, disinclination, indisposition, guilt, regret, remorse, self-reproach, shame, contrition, penitence, repentance
    near: aplomb, assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, self-assurance, self-confidence, sureness

Scruple (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: balance, dither, falter, halt, hang back, hesitate, shilly-shally, stagger, teeter, vacillate, waver, wobble
    related: haw, hem, dally, dawdle, delay, linger, pause, procrastinate, wait, back down, chicken (out), consider, debate, deliberate, ponder, weigh, oscillate, sway, equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, waffle
    opposite: dive (in), plunge (in)
    near: decide, budge, stir, advance, continue

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Scruple

The most common words with a similar meaning to Scruple:

ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, ray, scintilla, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, atom, dribble

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Scruple

Words with the opposite meaning of Scruple:

dive (in), plunge (in)

Related Words for Scruple

hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, vestige, whit, dot, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite, nibble, taste, handful, scattering, smatter, smattering, dose, shot, chip, flake, fragment, shard

Near Antonyms of Scruple

abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings, loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad

Word Forms of Scruple

Inflections: scrupled, scrupling

Origin & Etymology of Scruple

Middle English scrupil, scriple, from Anglo-French scruple, from Latin scrupulus a unit of weight, diminutive of scrupus sharp stone

First known use: 1564

Frequently Asked Questions about Scruple

What does "Scruple" mean?

"Scruple" means a unit of capacity equal to 1/24 Apothecaries' ounce. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a unit of capacity equal to 1/24 Apothecaries' ounce. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Scruple"?

Other words for "Scruple" include ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer and hint. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Scruple" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Scruple"?

There are 172 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Scruple". Common alternatives include ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick and little.

What is the opposite of "Scruple"?

Antonyms of "Scruple" include dive (in) and plunge (in). Near antonyms include abundance, barrel, boatload and bucket.

How do you use "Scruple" in a sentence?

Examples of "Scruple" in a sentence: "went about her business without even a scruple of suspicion"; "left just a scruple of asparagus on the plate"; "the survey showed that many students had few scruples about cheating on papers or exams".

Is "Scruple" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Scruple" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Scruple"?

"Scruple" is pronounced /ˈskrü-pəl/ and divided into syllables as scru·ple.

What is the origin of the word "Scruple"?

"Scruple" comes from Middle English scrupil, scriple, from Anglo-French scruple, from Latin scrupulus a unit of weight, diminutive of scrupus sharp stone. First known use: 1564.