Someone who is scrupulous takes great care to do what is fair, honest, or morally right.
[approval]
You're being very scrupulous, but to what end?
I have been scrupulous about telling them the dangers. [+ about]
The Board is scrupulous in its consideration of all applications for licences. [+ in]
Synonyms: moral, principled, upright, honourable More Synonyms of scrupulous
scrupulouslygraded adverb
He is scrupulously fair, and popular with his staff.
Namibia has scrupulously upheld political pluralism.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Scrupulous means thorough, exact, and careful about details.
Both readers commend Knutson for his scrupulous attention to detail.
scrupulouslygraded adverb
The streets and parks were scrupulously clean.
Hillsden scrupulously avoided any topic likely to arouse suspicion as to his motives.
More Synonyms of scrupulous
scrupulous in British English
(ˈskruːpjʊləs)
adjective
1.
characterized by careful observation of what is morally right
2.
very careful or precise
Derived forms
scrupulously (ˈscrupulously)
adverb
scrupulousness (ˈscrupulousness)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin scrūpulōsus punctilious
scrupulous in American English
(ˈskrupjələs)
adjective
1.
a.
extremely careful to do the precisely right, proper, or correct thing in every last detail; most punctilious
b.
showing extreme care, precision, and punctiliousness
2.
extremely conscientious
3.
full of scruples; hesitant, doubtful, or uneasy, esp. constantly and obsessively, in deciding what is morally right or wrong
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈcareful
Derived forms
scrupulosity (ˌscrupuˈlosity) (ˌskrupjəˈlɑsəti)
nounWord forms: pluralˌscrupuˈlosities
scrupulously (ˈscrupulously)
adverb
scrupulousness (ˈscrupulousness)
noun
Word origin
< MFr or L: MFr scrupuleux < L scrupulosus
Examples of 'scrupulous' in a sentence
scrupulous
To them he added a scrupulous attention to the demands of the wardrobe.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
Looking for the motivations for this belief requires a careful and scrupulous assessment of the evidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But will it be her or her less scrupulous alter ego who knocks on his bedroom door?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Yet as a judge he applied the law with scrupulous care.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Science has an image problem, caused by those with a less scrupulous attitude to confidentiality.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is scrupulous in its attention to all the surface details that define time, place and mood.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And perhaps the scrupulous attention that has gone into the making of these people evokes also a deeper and more important sense of care.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
True, making the best of these requires exactly the scrupulous attention to detail you were just complaining about.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
And with scrupulous judicious attention.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A number of companies appear less scrupulous than others and seek to sell on your property soon after buying it.
The Sun (2008)
They bought surveillance software from some of the West's less scrupulous companies.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is also relevant to note that if research centres get driven abroad to less scrupulous and less craven countries, more animal suffering will undoubtedly result.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Then we are no longer witnesses, but lawyers arguing the case, not always with scrupulous attention to detail.
Christianity Today (2000)
But how often in our frenetic modern world do we take the time to consider anything with such careful, scrupulous, meditativeintensity?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
scrupulous
British English: scrupulous ADJECTIVE
Someone who is scrupulous takes great care to do what is fair, honest, or morally right.
You're being very scrupulous, but to what end?
American English: scrupulous
Brazilian Portuguese: escrupuloso
Chinese: 讲良心的
European Spanish: escrupuloso
French: scrupuleux
German: gewissenhaft
Italian: scrupoloso
Japanese: 実直な
Korean: 양심적인
European Portuguese: escrupuloso
Latin American Spanish: escrupuloso
1 (adjective)
Definition
taking great care to do what is fair, honest, or morally right
I have been scrupulous about telling them the truth.
Synonyms
moral
The committee members are moral, competent people.
principled
She was a strong, principled woman.
upright
a very upright, trustworthy man
honourable
I believe she is an honourable person.
conscientious
I admired this noble, conscientious man.
Opposites
dishonest
,
unscrupulous
,
amoral
,
uncaring
,
unprincipled
,
without scruples
,
unconscientious
2 (adjective)
Definition
very careful or precise
scrupulous attention to detail
Synonyms
careful
He decided to prosecute her after careful consideration of all the facts.
strict
the strictest sense of the word
precise
They speak very precise English.
minute
We will have to pore over this report in minute detail.
nice
As a politician, he drew a nice distinction between his own opinions and the wishes of the majority.
exact
She is very punctual and very exact in her duties.
rigorous
He is rigorous in his control of expenditure.
meticulous
He was so meticulous about everything.
painstaking
Police carried out a painstaking search of the area.
fastidious
He was fastidious about his appearance.
punctilious (formal)
He was punctilious about being ready exactly on time.
Opposites
reckless
,
careless
,
slapdash
,
inexact
,
superficial
Additional synonyms
in the sense of conscientious
Definition
governed by conscience
I admired this noble, conscientious man.
Synonyms
honourable,
just,
responsible,
moral,
strict,
straightforward,
upright,
honest,
scrupulous,
high-minded,
incorruptible,
high-principled
in the sense of exact
Definition
precise, as opposed to approximate
She is very punctual and very exact in her duties.
Synonyms
meticulous,
severe,
careful,
strict,
exacting,
precise,
rigorous,
painstaking,
scrupulous,
methodical,
punctilious (formal)
in the sense of fastidious
Definition
paying great attention to neatness, detail, and order
He was fastidious about his appearance.
Synonyms
particular,
meticulous,
fussy,
overdelicate,
difficult,
nice,
critical,
discriminating,
dainty,
squeamish,
choosy (informal),
picky (informal),
hard to please,
finicky,
punctilious (formal),
pernickety,
hypercritical,
overnice,
nit-picky (informal)
Nearby words of
scrupulous
scrumptious
scrunch
scruple
scrupulous
scrutinize
scrutiny
scud
Synonyms of 'scrupulous'
scrupulous
Explore 'scrupulous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of honourable
Definition
principled
I believe she is an honourable person.
Synonyms
principled,
moral,
ethical,
just,
true,
fair,
upright,
honest,
virtuous,
trustworthy,
trusty,
high-minded,
upstanding
in the sense of meticulous
Definition
very precise about details
He was so meticulous about everything.
Synonyms
thorough,
detailed,
particular,
strict,
exact,
precise,
microscopic,
fussy,
painstaking,
perfectionist,
scrupulous,
fastidious,
punctilious,
nit-picky (informal)
in the sense of minute
Definition
precise or detailed
We will have to pore over this report in minute detail.
Synonyms
precise,
close,
detailed,
critical,
exact,
meticulous,
exhaustive,
painstaking,
punctilious (formal)
in the sense of nice
Definition
subtle
As a politician, he drew a nice distinction between his own opinions and the wishes of the majority.
Synonyms
precise,
fine,
careful,
strict,
accurate,
exact,
exacting,
subtle,
delicate,
discriminating,
rigorous,
meticulous,
scrupulous,
fastidious
in the sense of painstaking
Definition
extremely careful and thorough
Police carried out a painstaking search of the area.
Synonyms
thorough,
careful,
meticulous,
earnest,
exacting,
strenuous,
conscientious,
persevering,
diligent,
scrupulous,
industrious,
assiduous,
thoroughgoing,
punctilious (formal),
sedulous
in the sense of precise
Definition
strict in observing rules or standards
They speak very precise English.
Synonyms
strict,
particular,
exact,
nice,
formal,
careful,
stiff,
rigid,
meticulous,
inflexible,
scrupulous,
fastidious,
prim,
puritanical,
finicky,
punctilious (formal),
ceremonious
in the sense of principled
Definition
(of a person or action) guided by moral rules
She was a strong, principled woman.
Synonyms
moral,
ethical,
upright,
honourable,
just,
correct,
decent,
righteous,
conscientious,
virtuous,
scrupulous,
right-minded,
high-minded
in the sense of punctilious
Definition
attentive to detail
He was punctilious about being ready exactly on time.