Question

compunction Speeding is something many people seem to do without compunction, their only concern being whether they'll get caught. kəmˈpəŋkʃən

Accepted Answer

(1) Anxiety caused by guilt. (2) A slight misgiving. Compunction is most often used in describing people who don't feel it—that is, who aren't “stung” or “pricked” by conscience. Ruthless businessmen steal clients and contracts from other businessmen without compunction, and hardened criminals have no compunctions about armed robbery and worse. Notice how compunction can be used in a noncountable way, like guilt (“He killed without compunction”), or in the plural, like qualm (”She had no compunctions about lying”). But words like guilt, qualm, regret, remorse, doubt, and unease, unlike compunction, are often used when talking about people who actually suffer from them.

word	compunction
definition	(1) Anxiety caused by guilt. (2) A slight misgiving.
eg_sentence	Speeding is something many people seem to do without compunction, their only concern being whether they'll get caught.
explanation	Compunction is most often used in describing people who don't feel it—that is, who aren't “stung” or “pricked” by conscience. Ruthless businessmen steal clients and contracts from other businessmen without compunction, and hardened criminals have no compunctions about armed robbery and worse. Notice how compunction can be used in a noncountable way, like guilt (“He killed without compunction”), or in the plural, like qualm (”She had no compunctions about lying”). But words like guilt, qualm, regret, remorse, doubt, and unease, unlike compunction, are often used when talking about people who actually suffer from them.
IPA	kəmˈpəŋkʃən

Compunction People Businessmen Anxiety Caused Guilt Slight Misgiving