as in doubt
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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Recent Examples of compunction
Colvin never felt any ethical compunctions about selling solar panels.
—
Brendan I. Koerner, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2025
Indulging the illusion that humans can control these systems while war is ongoing will tie democratic nations’ hands against adversaries with no such compunctions.
—Sebastian Elbaum, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2024
People with elevated psychopathic traits lie—constantly, intentionally, with great skill, and without compunction.
—Gautam Mukunda, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
And if the writers are true to Tolkien, our heroes will have no compunctions about killing many, many, many orcs.
—Caitlin Penzeymoog, Vox, 7 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for compunction
Brendan I. Koerner, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2025
Indulging the illusion that humans can control these systems while war is ongoing will tie democratic nations’ hands against adversaries with no such compunctions.
—Sebastian Elbaum, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2024
People with elevated psychopathic traits lie—constantly, intentionally, with great skill, and without compunction.
—Gautam Mukunda, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
And if the writers are true to Tolkien, our heroes will have no compunctions about killing many, many, many orcs.
—Caitlin Penzeymoog, Vox, 7 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for compunction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compunction
Noun
-
There was always a little bit of doubt there, even from the beginning.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
4 July 2025
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Given today’s network of satellites and temperature sensors, when could scientists have first known, beyond a reasonable doubt, that increases in atmospheric CO2 from fossil fuel burning and land use change were altering our global climate?—
Ben Santer,
Scientific American,
4 July 2025
Noun
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And third, anyone without scruples can sell prescription opioids on the black market.—
Keith Humphreys,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Apr. 2018
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Seen against the backdrop of recent events, Vought’s disdain for the rule-of-law scruples of Federalist Society legal thinkers seems entirely in line with Trump’s recent post suggesting a federal judge shouldn’t have authority over his administration.—
Stephen Engelberg,
ProPublica,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Buyer's remorse does not create a felony conviction and a life sentence.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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But while visitors may find plenty of reasons to feel remorse when their Vegas sojourn ends, absolution might be found in the city’s renewable energy boom.—
Max Bearak,
New York Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
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His objection automatically ended debate, per Council rules, and led Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, who spoke favorably of the resolution, to send it to the Committee on Civil Rights, Immigrant Advancement and Racial Equity.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
10 July 2025
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About 4,000 Army National Guard troops have been training at the Los Alamitos base since June 8, when they were federalized — over the objection of Gov. Gavin Newsom — on orders from President Donald Trump.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Other technicians have similar qualms about market leadership.—
Alex Harring,Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
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But there’s been no wavering, no qualms, no issues from the players who ultimately don’t draw in.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
24 May 2025
Noun
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There, of course, should be zero regret in signing Serrano, who has represented the brand better than anybody.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
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But in May, nine leading children’s hospitals across the country received letters from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, demanding data on revenue from pediatric gender treatments and the rates of regret among patients, according to a person with knowledge of the effort.—
Azeen Ghorayshi,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Noun
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There was overwhelming evidence of his guilt, including his DNA on the knife sheath, cell site evidence the night of the murders, video surveillance of his white Hyundai Elantra, and Amazon search and purchase history of the murder weapon.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
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Still unaware of the Front Man’s true identity, Gi-hun grapples with survivor’s guilt and begs to be killed.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compunction. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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