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Definition of "compunction" [com•punc•tion]

  • A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt. See Synonyms at penitence. (noun)
  • A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing. See Synonyms at qualm. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "compunction" in a sentence
  • "Notwithstanding all these arguments a compunction was always present in Miss Eelen's worn out yet not extinguished heart."
  • "Apart from Thierry Henry, whose handball helped France pinch the ticket to South Africa from Ireland's pockets, none of the greats really showed remorse, though one will never know whether they actually felt something called compunction in their private hours."
  • "The reasons for cutting off funding don't so much involve "compunction" as whether the department has to fund sixth- and seventh-year students in order to meet the teaching expectations of the university."