Compunction

1. (n.) Remorse; a poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain; the sting of conscience.

2. (n.) A pricking; stimulation.

Thesaurus Entries

attrition, bashfulness, beef, better self, bitch, boggle, boggling, boycott, challenge, complaint, conscience, conscientiousness, contriteness, contrition, demonstration, demur, demurral, demurrer, diffidence, disinclination, exception, expostulation, falter, faltering, fear, grievance, grievance committee, hesitance, hesitancy, hesitation, howl, indignation meeting, kick, march, misgiving, modesty, nonviolent protest, objection, pangs, pangs of conscience, pause, penance, penitently, picketing, pricking of heart, protest, protest demonstration, protestation, punctiliousness, qualm, qualm of conscience, qualmishness, qualms, rally, recoil, regret, reluctance, remonstrance, remonstration, remorse, repentance, reserve, rue, ruth, scruple, scruples, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, self-reproach, shrinking, shyness, sit-in, squawk, stickling, strike, teach-in, throes, touch of conscience, twinge of conscience, unwillingness, voice of conscience