Contrition and Compunction

Contrition

Contrition noun - A feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing.
Usage example: once again she heard her abusive husband's tearful expressions of contrition
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Synonyms for Contrition

Compunction is a synonym for contrition in regret topic. In some cases you can use "Compunction" instead a noun "Contrition", when it comes to topics like feeling, shame, remorse, repentance. popular alternative

Nearby Words: contrite, contritely

Compunction

Compunction noun - An uneasy feeling about the rightness of what one is doing or going to do.
Usage example: throughout her school years she cheated without compunction

Contrition is a synonym for compunction in guilt topic. You can use "Contrition" instead a noun "Compunction", if it concerns topics such as regret, repentance, feeling, remorse. popular alternative

How words are described

obvious obvious contrition obvious compunction
little little contrition little compunction
Cite this Source
Compunction and Contrition. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrition/compunction
Contrition & Compunction. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrition/compunction>.
Compunction or Contrition. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrition/compunction.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "contrition" and "compunction" have occurred on timeline