noun

el escrúpulo

scruple

Escrúpulo is a masculine Spanish noun with several related meanings:

A moral doubt or qualm
It describes an uneasy feeling about whether an action is right or ethical.
- Le daba escrúpulo mentir means “He felt uneasy about lying” or “He had moral qualms about lying.”
A reservation, hesitation, or objection
It can refer to a concern that prevents someone from accepting or doing something.
- No tuvo ningún escrúpulo en aceptar el dinero means “He had no qualms about accepting the money.”
Meticulousness or excessive concern for correctness
In some contexts, it refers to extreme care, precision, or strict attention to details.
A very small quantity
This is a less common or more traditional meaning, equivalent to “a tiny amount.”

Gender: masculine
Plural: escrúpulos
Pronunciation: es-KRÚ-pu-lo
The accent mark shows that the stress falls on crú.
In modern Spanish, the word is not normally divided into meaningful parts. It comes from Latin scrupulus, originally meaning “a small sharp stone,” which developed metaphorically into the idea of a troubling doubt or irritation of the conscience.

Depending on the meaning, synonyms include:

reparo : a reservation or objection; usually less strongly connected with morality.
duda : uncertainty in general, without necessarily involving ethical concern.
recelo : suspicion or distrust, often directed toward a person or situation.
remordimiento : guilt or regret after doing something wrong; stronger and more emotionally negative than escrúpulo.
minuciosidad : careful attention to detail, when escrúpulo means precision rather than moral hesitation.

The expression sin escrúpulos describes someone who acts without moral restraints or concern for the consequences.

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No tengo ningún escrúpulo.noun

I have no scruple.

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