scrupulous
Americanadjective
-
having scruples, or moral or ethical standards; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
scrupulous about defending human rights.
- Synonyms:
- ethical, moral, upright, honest, conscientious
-
punctiliously or minutely careful, precise, or exact.
a scrupulous attention to detail in their performance.
- Synonyms:
- rigorous, exacting, circumspect, cautious, thorough, meticulous, careful
- Antonyms:
- careless
adjective
-
characterized by careful observation of what is morally right
-
very careful or precise
Related Words
Scrupulous, punctilious imply abiding exactly by rules. Scrupulous implies conscientious carefulness in attending to details: scrupulous attention to details. Punctilious suggests strictness, preciseness, and rigidity, especially in observance of social conventions.
Other Word Forms
- hyperscrupulosity noun
- hyperscrupulous adjective
- hyperscrupulousness noun
- scrupulosity noun
- scrupulously adverb
- scrupulousness noun
- underscrupulous adjective
Etymology
Origin of scrupulous
First recorded in 1400–50; a late Middle English word from Latin scrūpulōsus; scruple, -ous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The scrupulous observance of parole by released officers in the early months of the Civil War reads like tales of the age of chivalry.
Knowing that Viollet-le-Duc’s restorations were based on scrupulous archaeological research, we naturally expect his drawings to be technical in nature.
The company briefly banned effects that “cannot be mimicked by makeup” and then walked the decision back amid fears Instagram would lose market share to less scrupulous actors.
From Los Angeles Times
Mr. Wallace is a scrupulous scholar, but such evidence isn’t always available.
Nonetheless, the portfolio’s impressive return reminds us of the need to cultivate scrupulous objectivity when digesting the financial news.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
