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

The pontiff lamented the “poverty into which they are often forced, victims of injustice and the inequality of a throwaway society that hurries past without seeing them and without scruple abandons them to their fate.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 14, 2021

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

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

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 15, 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

On the contrary, they seemed disposed to make advances to the daring, conquering people, who had not scrupled to seize their chief and keep him confined—they, a mere handful of people amongst thousands.

From One Maid's Mischief by George Manville Fenn

Who asked a rent absurdly high; Who never scrupled at a lie?

From Punch, or the London Charivari, October 28th 1893 by Various

Woodville smiled gladly; for certain of his own honour and of his own conduct, he scrupled not to take advantage of any means to free himself from the restraint under which he was held.

From Agincourt The Works of G. P. R. James, Volume XX by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

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

She now looked at him as if he were an object, scrupling not to meet his eye with her strange, unwavering gaze.

From A Face Illumined by Edward Payson Roe

I will not reason here—nor will I stop for YOU to expatiate on the absurdity, and the worse than absurdity, of scrupling to engage my faith where my honour was already bound.

From Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

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

On this she laid my meal, not scrupling to set aside some of the snug dry townsfolk.

From The Story of Francis Cludde by Stanley John Weyman