Compunction

ahd-5
  • noun. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt: synonym: penitence.
  • noun. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing.
  • The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
  • noun. A pricking; stimulation; irritation.
  • noun. The stinging or pricking of the conscience; uneasiness caused by tenderness of conscience or feelings; regret, as for wrong-doing or for giving pain to another; contrition; remorse.
  • noun. Synonyms Regret, Remorse, etc. See penitence.
  • the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
  • noun. A pricking; stimulation.
  • noun. A picking of heart; poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain; the sting of conscience.
  • Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
  • noun. A pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.
  • WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
  • noun. a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
  • Word Usage
    "Notwithstanding all these arguments a compunction was always present in Miss Eelen's worn out yet not extinguished heart."
    cross-reference
    Hypernym
    Words that are more generic or abstract
    regret  rue  ruefulness  sorrow  
    Hyponym
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    Rhyme
    Words with the same terminal sound
    Same Context
    Words that are found in similar contexts
    Synonym
    Words with the same meaning