scruple

Unencumbered by deep convictions and free from the constraints imposed by conventional morality or codes of honor, he can alter his tactics to the exigencies of the moment without hesitation or scruple.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

They were both these outsiders from the boroughs with tremendous life force and ambition with a shared, I think, lack of scruple or ethical core, for whom winning was the only moral measure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2024

In the chaotic tangle of dust, horseflesh and steel, finding an unexpected advantage was not difficult for those unyoked from scruple.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2024

Soon, with nary a scruple, Caleb expands Avi’s anecdote into a full-length novel with enough commercial viability to land its unknown author a flashy agent.

From New York Times ● Jan. 19, 2022

And he surely would not scruple, even on that day, to be angry at the Lord.

From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin

Employees in these movies come to the conclusion their boss lacks scruples, boundaries or the qualifications to have the job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025

Some may have otherwise been stolen by Western visitors with less scruples to be sold on the lucrative European and American artefacts market.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2024

Executives at established tech giants might have their own honest scruples about where all of this is heading.

From Slate ● Nov. 27, 2023

“But despite the LSBA’s scruples, Boudreaux has still identified some examples of non-germane speech.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 15, 2023

When he was enraged by some human effort or flaw, he was able to regard himself as discriminating, fastidious, and full of nice scruples.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Though Antonin fashions himself as a tormented literary protagonist — a scrupled thief and a thwarted artist — he emerges as little more than a posturing, self-pitying millennial unwilling to take charge of his life.

From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2023

The extravagance and general profligacy which he scrupled not to lay at Mr. Wickham’s charge, exceedingly shocked her; the more so, as she could bring no proof of its injustice.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

But he has done this, and he has not scrupled to tell me so, and to intimate that he would like the opportunity of cultivating your good graces.

From Cynthia Wakeham's Money by Anna Katharine Green

And long before that, we find the sincerer sort scrupled to hear Bishop Adamson, notwithstanding that he was absolved in the Assembly.

From A Hind Let Loose Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its Periods by Alexander Shields

That wretched book-binder had not scrupled to substitute a new and valueless score for my beloved copy, and had doubtless sold the original, with Gounod's autograph and annotations, to some collector for a pretty sum.

From Memoirs of an American Prima Donna by Clara Louise Kellogg

All which went off in a soft and pleasantly harmonious manner;—only the Jesuits scrupling a little to swear as yet; and getting gently sent their ways, with revenues stopt in consequence.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13 by Thomas Carlyle

Insomuch that, finding himself discountenanced on those accounts by the then Warden of Wadham, he shifted colledges to Trinity, and, when there, went away without his degree, scrupling, forsooth, the Subscription then required.

From Andrew Marvell by John Morley

If you can by any means prevail on your Master to release me, I beseech you so to do, not scrupling any thing for Righteousness sake.

From An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews by Conny Keyber

Her conscientious scrupling: "But mother may be cross!" had passed unheeded.

From Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson

With this girl she shared the domestic duties, scrupling not to divide with her the meanest and most rugged, as well as the lightest offices.

From Ormond, Volume I (of 3) or, The Secret Witness by Charles Brockden Brown