Basic Details
Word: Scrupulous
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Very careful to do things honestly and correctly, paying attention to every small detail.
Synonyms: careful, meticulous, honest, conscientious
Antonyms: careless, dishonest, unscrupulous
How to Spell Scrupulous
Syllables: scru - pu - lous
Tricky part: Both of the first two syllables have u: scru-pu. The word ends in -ulous, not -ulus or -ulious.
Watch out for: scrupulus, scrupolous, scrupulious, scroupulous
Memory tip: Scrupulous and fabulous share the same tail, -ulous. If you can spell fabulous, swap fab for scrup.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Our class teacher is scrupulous about giving everyone equal time to speak.
Example 2: A scrupulous doctor explains every risk before an operation.
Example 3: He kept scrupulous records of the class trip money, down to the last bus ticket.
Fun Fact
The Latin source, scrupulus, meant a small sharp stone, the kind that troubles you inside a shoe. A scruple was also a tiny unit of weight once used by chemists.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. trecherous 2. scrupulous 3. gullable 4. mischevous
a) easily tricked into believing things
b) likely to betray someone
c) fond of playful trouble-making
d) careful to do what is honest and right
Show answer
d) careful to do what is honest and right. Gullible ends in ible, mischievous has ie and treacherous has ea, so scrupulous is the correct word.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word scrupulous as used in the sentence:
Mrs Fernandes is scrupulous about returning every rupee of change to her customers.
a) exact
b) upright
c) dishonest
d) careful
Show answer
c) dishonest. Someone who kept the change would be dishonest, the reverse of Mrs Fernandes.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The auditor was so scrupulus in checking the temple trust's accounts that she found an error of just two rupees in an old ledger.
a) accounts
b) ledger
c) scrupulus
d) auditor
Show answer
c) scrupulus. Adjectives like this end in -ous, so the o is missing before the final us.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A scrupulous shopkeeper would never ____.
a) greet regular customers
b) keep the shelves neat
c) open the shop on time
d) cheat a customer on weight
Show answer
d) cheat a customer on weight
2. What does unscrupulous mean?
a) unable to see clearly at night
b) very shy with strangers
c) having no care for what is honest
d) too tired to finish work
Show answer
c) having no care for what is honest
