high-minded
adjective
high-mind·ed
ˈhī-ˈmīn-dəd 
: marked by elevated principles and feelings
high-mindedly
adverb
high-mindedness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of high-minded in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet even the most high-minded forms still include a surprising amount of straw-manning and motivated reasoning.
—
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
And if you’re headed somewhere fancy, slip-on Vans can add a streetwise edge to romantic wedding guest dresses and oversized suiting alike; keep your makeup and accessories high-minded to sell the contrast even better.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2024
The high-minded anti-FAB posturing was disagreeable not only to active stakeholders, but to older natives as well.
—Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024
Especially a talented and sporadically high-minded one, such as Truman Capote, who saw no particular contradiction between greatness and frivolity and who moved with bewildering ease between registers (and ethical codes) that others might struggle to reconcile.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
The fact that Trump’s motives may be political rather than high-minded does not change the basic fact that the Senate deal would be a disaster that camouflages Biden’s dereliction of duty.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 27 Jan. 2024
Now, contrast these high-minded ideals with last week’s announcement that Carlos Ayala, 52, of Salisbury, an elections board member in the first year of a four-year term was arrested for participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2024
The notion that Palestinians ought to accept their lot in the name of a high-minded ideology would strike Jewish diasporists, who tend to favor Palestinian self-determination, as noxious.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2024
Bringing people together in high-minded community is the task of folk music.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2023
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
And if you’re headed somewhere fancy, slip-on Vans can add a streetwise edge to romantic wedding guest dresses and oversized suiting alike; keep your makeup and accessories high-minded to sell the contrast even better.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2024
The high-minded anti-FAB posturing was disagreeable not only to active stakeholders, but to older natives as well.
—Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024
Especially a talented and sporadically high-minded one, such as Truman Capote, who saw no particular contradiction between greatness and frivolity and who moved with bewildering ease between registers (and ethical codes) that others might struggle to reconcile.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
The fact that Trump’s motives may be political rather than high-minded does not change the basic fact that the Senate deal would be a disaster that camouflages Biden’s dereliction of duty.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 27 Jan. 2024
Now, contrast these high-minded ideals with last week’s announcement that Carlos Ayala, 52, of Salisbury, an elections board member in the first year of a four-year term was arrested for participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2024
The notion that Palestinians ought to accept their lot in the name of a high-minded ideology would strike Jewish diasporists, who tend to favor Palestinian self-determination, as noxious.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2024
Bringing people together in high-minded community is the task of folk music.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'high-minded.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1556, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near high-minded
Cite this Entry
“High-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-minded. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
high-minded
adjective
high-mind·ed
ˈhī-ˈmīn-dəd
: having or expressing noble ideas and feelings
high-mindedly
adverb
high-mindedness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share