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Glite Dictionary
🤔 Moral doubt ⚖️ Old weight unit 🤔 To hesitate morally
to scruple

to scruple

1 8.0
To hesitate because something may be morally wrong
  • verb
  • /ˈskruːpəl/
translation icon : dudar
  • "Men of this class," explained Hamilton, "have not scrupled to sacrifice national tranquility to personal advantage or personal gratification."

Examples

  • One who in his arrogance and pride... did not scruple to murder a son of France... whose only crime was that he loved liberty.

    Scaramouche (1952)

  • If a fan should fall at your feet, don't scruple too much before you pick it up.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • " My dear, you scruple too much."

    Fiction book (1993)

  • My parents did not scruple to put up a Christmas tree and hide Easter eggs.

    Academic text (1998)

  • "Don't scruple about my feelings!

    Fiction book (1993)

  • But not so well that he didn't scruple to leave a tally sheet behind for Maarken and Hollis to find.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Not scrupling to lay waste to an entire city, Alexander nevertheless manifested a solicitousness for the poet's house that passes modern understanding.

    Academic text (2002)

  • She decided to help the stranger, even though she didn't scruple about the potential consequences.

  • He did not scruple to challenge the organization's ethics when he discovered the truth.

  • Before making a decision, she always scruples over whether it aligns with her values.

Synonyms

to hesitate
vsto scruple
318 2.5

To pause before saying or doing something because you feel unsure

questions an action because of moral wrongness
to think twice
vsto scruple
  • Informal
107 3.6

Carefully consider something before you act to avoid a mistake

focuses on moral doubts rather than practical consequences

Antonyms

to decide
∞ 1.0

To make a choice after thinking about the options

to proceed
763 3.0

Begin or continue an action after a pause, often as planned

How Hesitant

to demur
  • Formal
3 8.9
to scruple
1 8.0
to waver
52 5.7
to hesitate
318 2.5
to pause
346 1.0

Surface Forms

scruple infinitive
scrupled past
scrupled past participle
scrupling present participle
scruples third person singular

Etymology

Scruple as a verb comes from the same Latin scrupulus 'small sharp stone'. If a 'small pebble' sits in your mind you pause, so to scruple is to hesitate because you think something may be wrong.