scrupulous

adjective

ˈskrü-pyə-ləs How to pronounce scrupulous (audio)
Definition of scrupulousnext
1
as in honorable
guided by or in accordance with one's sense of right and wrong an exemplar of morality who was scrupulous in all of his dealings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in meticulous
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort a scrupulous attention to detail is evident in all of his reporting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scrupulous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of scrupulous are conscientious, honest, honorable, just, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

When could honest be used to replace scrupulous?

In some situations, the words honest and scrupulous are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When would honorable be a good substitute for scrupulous?

The words honorable and scrupulous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

When might just be a better fit than scrupulous?

The words just and scrupulous can be used in similar contexts, but just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

When is it sensible to use upright instead of scrupulous?

While in some cases nearly identical to scrupulous, upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scrupulous This training moves front and center in John of John, building out a muscular narrative with scrupulous technique. — Literary Hub, 1 May 2026 The less scrupulous voices also invade Beverly’s meticulous household like bulls in a suburban china shop. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument. — Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026 Some will be scrupulous; others will broker in conspiracy and flagrant lies. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scrupulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrupulous
  1. honorable
  2. meticulous
  3. conscientious
  4. careful
  5. ethical
  6. loving
  7. moral
  8. diligent
Adjective
  • Cornerback Juice Clarke, who started eight games last season and also was an honorable-mention selection, and safety Mac Resetich are back for their senior seasons.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Ingrid is an honorable and moral friend who facilitates her death while staying in a neighboring room.
    — Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of honorable
Adjective
  • Roberts was known for his meticulous preparation, which included visiting out-of-town courtrooms to gather intel on judges’ quirks and preferences.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That would be Arsenal’s fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, led by another meticulous Spanish manager in Unai Emery.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of meticulous
Adjective
  • Even the most conscientious hand washers who use a basin or a full sink still use two to four times as much water as the average dishwasher cycle.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026
  • That’s how John Sugar goes from conscientious private eye to would-be assassin.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of conscientious
Adjective
  • Kurz said that the field team put careful consideration into selecting each site.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Steve Bardens/Getty Images Brighton & Hove Albion must be careful that the chill of winter does not arrive much earlier than normal for them this season in the Conference League.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Several key ethical questions for consumers remain unanswered.
    — Andréa Becker, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The question was whether asking a minor to pose nude without parental knowledge or consent violated the city’s ethical standards.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ethical
Adjective
  • Pisces February 19 – March 20 A loving boundary can make partnership feel more secure.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The film will follow Julián, a loving father and travel journalist.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of loving
Adjective
  • Expect pressure, moral choices and procedural encounters where mistakes can have serious consequences.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • As sweeping legal reforms reshape Sweden’s justice system, lawyers at the elite firm Matsson & Markovic are forced to navigate an increasingly uncertain moral landscape.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of moral
Adjective
  • The Boks were also diligent but crashing into a good Pumas defense.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The person who reads a stack of newsletters before breakfast gets treated as diligent, and the person who scrolls for an hour and calls it research gets away with it entirely.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of diligent

Browse Nearby Words

scrupulosity
scrupulous
scrupulously
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Scrupulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrupulous. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on scrupulous

Nglish: Translation of scrupulous for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All