compunction: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, literary
Quick answer
What does “compunction” mean?
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows a wrong action.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows a wrong action.
A pang of conscience; regret; hesitation due to conscientious considerations. It can also denote a slight prick of conscience, not necessarily overwhelming remorse.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally formal and literary in both variants.
Connotations
Connotes a somewhat old-fashioned or high-register sense of moral qualm.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects; slightly more likely encountered in British literary or journalistic contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “compunction” in a Sentence
have [no/little/slight] compunction about/over + V-ingfeel compunctiondo something without compunctionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “compunction” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No verb form.
American English
- No verb form.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form.
American English
- No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No direct adjective form. 'Compunctious' is archaic and virtually unused.
American English
- No direct adjective form. 'Compunctious' is archaic and virtually unused.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in ethical discussions: 'The board felt no compunction about laying off long-term employees to boost profits.'
Academic
Found in philosophy, ethics, literature, and history texts discussing morality and action.
Everyday
Very rare in casual speech. Used for emphasis in more thoughtful conversation.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “compunction”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “compunction”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “compunction”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I compunctioned' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'compulsion'.
- Using it in positive constructions too frequently (e.g., 'I have a lot of compunction' sounds odd).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. It is almost always used in neutral or negative contexts (e.g., 'felt no compunction', 'without compunction'). Saying 'I feel great compunction' is grammatically correct but stylistically odd.
No. 'Guilt' is a broader, more general state. 'Compunction' is a specific pang or twinge of conscience that precedes or accompanies an action, often causing hesitation. It's a subset or specific manifestation of guilt.
The historical adjective is 'compunctious', but it is considered archaic and is almost never used in modern English. In practice, writers use phrases like 'full of compunction' or 'showing compunction'.
No. It is a formal, literary word typical of C2 (Mastery) level vocabulary. It is more likely found in writing, news commentary, and formal speech than in casual conversation.
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows a wrong action.
Compunction is usually formal, literary in register.
Compunction: in British English it is pronounced /kəmˈpʌŋkʃn/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “without a second thought or compunction”
- “not have a compunction in one's body”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COMPunction' sounds like 'COMPlaint' your conscience makes when you do something wrong. It's a PUNCH (punc-) of conscience.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONSCIENCE IS A PAINFUL PRICK/STING (a pang/twinge of compunction).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest in meaning to 'compunction'?