compunction

[kuh m-puhngk-shuh n] /kəmˈpʌŋk ʃən/

noun

a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.

any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English compunccion (< Anglo-French) < Late Latin compūnctiōn- (stem of compūnctiō), equivalent to Latin compūnct(us), past participle of compungere to prick severely (com- com- + pungere to prick; cf. point) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms

compunctionless, adjective

Can be confused

compulsion, compunction.

Examples from the web for compunction

Defendant showed no remorse until he was caught, showed no regret, showed no moral compunction at all.
Psychopaths lie without compunction, injure without remorse, and cheat with little fear of detection.
He or she will have no compunction about writing up a detailed report of my mistakes.
But mobsters generally have little compunction about resorting to violence as a means to the end, which is making money.
Each bank has its own set of guidelines and they have no compunction to share the details with consumers.
She was careful, generally, but also had no compunction about moving me through some tight gaps.
Only if manuals are widely disseminated will firms feel any compunction to actually follow them.
They have no concept of personal responsibility, and no compunction about preying on others.
Appellee demonstrated no compunction about using the confidential information to create an unfair advantage for himself.

British Dictionary definitions for compunction

compunction

/kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/

noun

a feeling of remorse, guilt, or regret

Derived Forms

compunctious, adjective
compunctiously, adverb

Word Origin

C14: from Church Latin compunctiō, from Latin compungere to sting, from com- (intensive) + pungere to puncture; see point

Word Origin and History for compunction

mid-14c., from Old French compunction (12c., Modern French componction), from Late Latin compunctionem (nominative compunctio) "remorse; a pricking" (of conscience), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin compungere "to severely prick, sting," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + pungere "to prick" (see pungent). Used in figurative sense by early Church writers. Originally a much more intense feeling, similar to "remorse," or "contrition."