How to pronounce scruple
Say it like SKROO-pul. Scruple has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SKROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce scruple. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKROO
- pul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Scruple pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- pulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of scruple
American and British speakers say scruple in essentially the same way: /ˈskrupəl/ in the US and /ˈskruːpəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SKROO-pul.
What does scruple mean?
- Hesitation to act from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; doubt, hesitation or unwillingness due to motives of conscience; moral qualm.
- A weight of ¹⁄₂₈₈ of a pound, that is, twenty grains or one third of a dram, about 1.3 grams (symbol: ℈).
- A Hebrew unit of time equal to ¹⁄₁₀₈₀ hour.
- To hesitate or be reluctant to act due to considerations of conscience or expedience.“They wouldn't scruple to cheat us if given the opportunity.”
- To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.
- To regard with suspicion; to question.
Where does scruple come from?
From Old French scrupule, from Latin scrūpulus (“(literally) a small sharp or pointed stone; uneasiness of mind, anxiety, doubt, trouble; scruple”) and scrūpulum (“one twenty-fourth of an ounce”), diminutives of scrūpus (“a rough or sharp s
Words that rhyme with scruple
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of scruple.
Questions about saying scruple
How do you pronounce scruple?
Say SKROO-pul. The American pronunciation is /ˈskrupəl/. In British English it is /ˈskruːpəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in scruple?
Scruple has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SKROO). Broken into parts: SKROO · pul.
Do Americans and Brits say scruple the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈskrupəl/ and the British form is /ˈskruːpəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.