on principle
idiom
: because of one's beliefs
She refused on principle to give toy guns to the children.
Examples of on principle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Common Ground, however, said the agency should do so, on principle, to hear from its residents.
—
Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
McGovern went to trial on principle; the seventh person’s trial will take place in Iowa City this spring.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
However, the rules on principle are flexible, so the trust document could provide almost any type of standard.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Although those opaque inner workings have the potential to be dangerous, rejecting them on principle could also mean rejecting revelation.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2024
The idea of the government deciding to privilege one industry over another should already be abhorrent to free market Republicans on principle.
—TIME, 6 Feb. 2024
In what might be called the Great Reversal, President Biden rolled back Trump policies as a matter of course and on principle, assuming that anything his predecessor was responsible for must be immoral or ineffectual.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 4 Feb. 2024
Wealthy non-tax-paying institutions should pay taxes on principle.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 13 Dec. 2023
And Duane Martin isn’t saying anything, apparently on principle, according to TMZ.
—Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023
Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
McGovern went to trial on principle; the seventh person’s trial will take place in Iowa City this spring.
—Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
However, the rules on principle are flexible, so the trust document could provide almost any type of standard.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Although those opaque inner workings have the potential to be dangerous, rejecting them on principle could also mean rejecting revelation.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2024
The idea of the government deciding to privilege one industry over another should already be abhorrent to free market Republicans on principle.
—TIME, 6 Feb. 2024
In what might be called the Great Reversal, President Biden rolled back Trump policies as a matter of course and on principle, assuming that anything his predecessor was responsible for must be immoral or ineffectual.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 4 Feb. 2024
Wealthy non-tax-paying institutions should pay taxes on principle.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 13 Dec. 2023
And Duane Martin isn’t saying anything, apparently on principle, according to TMZ.
—Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on principle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near on principle
Cite this Entry
“On principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20principle. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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