Dictionary

compunction en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /kəmˈpʌŋk.ʃən/

Etymology

From Middle English compunccion, borrowed from Old French compunction, from Late Latin compunctionem (“a pricking”), from Latin compunctus, the past participle of compungere (“to severely prick”), from com- + pungere (“to prick”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.
   • His age—his kindness, disarmed Pen’s anger somewhat, and made Arthur feel no little compunction for the deed which he was about to do. 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 70, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
   • [H]e would have had no compunction whatever in flinging him out of the highest window in Venice into the deepest water of the city. 1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, “Something Right Somewhere”, in Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC, 2nd book (Riches), page 366:
   • [T]he instant the door had closed behind him, I leaned over and looked at the letters, which were face down on the table. I felt no compunction in doing so, for under the circumstances I felt that I should protect myself in every way I could. 1897, Bram Stoker, “Jonathan Harker’s Journal—Continued”, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC, chapter III, page 36:
   • Besides, to do De Joinville justice, he felt, too, a degree of kindly compunction for the former harsh judgment entertained of one who so little deserved it; and—for there is no such thing in the human mind as an unmixed sensation—he was struck both with the spirit with which she resented, and the proud humility with which she forgave the affront. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXVII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 320:
   • As for average U.S. consumers, they've shown little compunction about buying diamonds that fund bloody militias in Africa. 2003 February 16, Blaine Greteman, “No Peace Dividend”, in Time:
   • But he felt, later, a little compunction. He had been violent, cruel with poor Hermione. He wanted to recompense her, to make it up. 1920 November 9, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter VIII, in Women in Love, New York, N.Y.: Privately printed [by Thomas Seltzer] for subscribers only, →OCLC, page 112:

Forms

Deriveds

compunctionless

Relateds

guilt · compunctive · penance · contrition · compunctious · penitence

Synonyms

regret · guilt · agenbite · remorse · sorriness · compunction · remorse · rue · contrition · ruth · qualm · repentance · penitence · self-reproach

Translations (40)

sh grižnja savjesti (pricking of conscience) · ro compuncțiune (pricking of conscience) · ja 良心の呵責 (pricking of conscience) · sh grizòdūšje (pricking of conscience) · ca remordiment (pricking of conscience) · sh грижња савјести (pricking of conscience) · ja 悔悟 (pricking of conscience) · ru раска́яние (pricking of conscience) · sh гризо̀дӯшје (pricking of conscience) · nl gewetensbeet (pricking of conscience) · io kompunciono (pricking of conscience) · de Gewissensbisse (pricking of conscience) · ar وَخَز الضَّمِير (pricking of conscience) · fi omatunnon pisto (pricking of conscience) · cs výčitky svědomí (pricking of conscience) · it compunzione (pricking of conscience) · fi huono omatunto (pricking of conscience) · fr remords (pricking of conscience) · fr componction (pricking of conscience) · la compunctio (pricking of conscience) · pt compunção (pricking of conscience) · cmn 內疚 /内疚 (pricking of conscience) · fr scrupule (pricking of conscience) · nl wroeging (pricking of conscience) · de Reue (pricking of conscience) · nl compunctie (pricking of conscience) · mi kaniawhea (pricking of conscience) · ru сожале́ние (pricking of conscience) · no samvittighetsnag (pricking of conscience) · es compunción (pricking of conscience) · cs lítost (pricking of conscience) · ca compunció (pricking of conscience) · es remordimiento (pricking of conscience) · ar نَدَم (pricking of conscience) · ru угрызе́ния со́вести (pricking of conscience) · ro regret (pricking of conscience) · hu lelkiismeret-furdalás (pricking of conscience) · no snev av dårlig samvittighet (pricking of conscience) · bg угризе́ние (pricking of conscience) · ro remușcare (pricking of conscience)