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

Thompson was dashing and ambitious, "handsome in feature and figure," occasionally courageous and exceedingly bright, but untroubled by anything so inconveniencing as a scruple.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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

“Nevertheless, the State’s capacity to legislate pursuant to its own moral scruples is necessarily curbed by the Kansas Constitution and its Bill of Rights.”

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

My only hope is that one who flies down a stair rail as beautifully as you do can overcome his scruples in this matter.

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

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

He is said to have been more nervous and crotchety, though of remarkable industry and intense likes and dislikes, which he never scrupled to express in vigorous fashion.

From The Columbia River Its History, Its Myths, Its Scenery, Its Commerce by William Denison Lyman

The horseman, however, was perhaps more curious than herself, for he immediately rode past her, nor scrupled to turn his head as he did so, to ascertain who the early wanderer might be.

From The Widow Barnaby Vol. II (of 3) by Frances Eleanor Trollope

And while some would not have scrupled to strike the blood royal, more would have been quick to protect and avenge it.

From Historical Romances: Under the Red Robe, Count Hannibal, A Gentleman of France by Stanley J. Weyman

Richard Baxter, in the seventeenth century, had said of confirmation that, so far from scrupling the true use of it, there was scarce any outward thing in the Church he valued more highly.

From The English Church in the Eighteenth Century by Charles J. (Charles John) Abbey

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

"I am so much obliged to you, Mr. Ruggles," said Kate, not scrupling for a moment to take the advantage offered her.

From The American Senator by Anthony Trollope

Even in the last revision of his early compositions we find him altering passages, which at first sight appear impeccable, with the object of enriching their harmony and without scrupling to use hidden octaves.

From Johann Sebastian Bach by Johann Nikolaus Forkel

Enterprising reporters, aided by official leaking somewhere, obtained possession of considerable facts, including the prisoner's arrest and statement, before two o'clock, and the afternoon journals promptly published them, not scrupling to add various imaginary embellishments.

From In Friendship's Guise by William Murray Graydon