precept

Synonym Chooser

How is the word precept distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of precept are canon, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, and statute. While all these words mean "a principle governing action or procedure," precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching.

the precepts of effective writing

In what contexts can canon take the place of precept?

The words canon and precept can be used in similar contexts, but canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide.

the canons of good taste

When might law be a better fit than precept?

Although the words law and precept have much in common, law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority.

obey the law

Where would ordinance be a reasonable alternative to precept?

While the synonyms ordinance and precept are close in meaning, ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality.

a city ordinance

When could regulation be used to replace precept?

The synonyms regulation and precept are sometimes interchangeable, but regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system.

regulations affecting nuclear power plants

When would rule be a good substitute for precept?

The words rule and precept are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rule applies to more restricted or specific situations.

the rules of the game

When can statute be used instead of precept?

The meanings of statute and precept largely overlap; however, statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body.

a statute requiring the use of seat belts

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of precept In fact, California seemed to care little about his nation’s history, precepts, rules. Literary Hub, 3 July 2025 In 2008, some of its precepts were enshrined in Ecuador’s constitution, a development that has helped to protect the country’s waterways—an example of policy that Macfarlane sees as a cause for optimism. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 The Supreme Court affirmed the Geary Act’s deportation procedures, formulating a novel legal precept known as the plenary power doctrine that remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today. Rick Baldoz, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025 This is considered an inductive form of learning, namely that by looking at lots of examples, the hope is to learn generalized precepts based on the examples. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for precept
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precept
Noun
  • Sissy was the aunt of Patricia Arquette’s Harmony Cobel and is a deep believer in the principles of Lumon.
    Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The principles were conveyed to Hamas, the officials said, which has not yet issued a response.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Scrapp scans waste using QR codes and educates users on the best method of disposal.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • As many tax practitioners predicted, the IRS is relying on new box codes to address new deductions, like the tip deduction.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This is an axiom; indeed, delegation is one of the first skills typically required of new managers.
    Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2025
  • However, as Hooker suggests, the training of modern AI models defies that axiom.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • All in all, Southern small talk rules are a fickle thing to follow.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Lawmakers in many states have changed the rules in recent decades to protect winners from being targeted by criminals and unscrupulous people asking for money.
    Safiyah Riddle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the club’s training ground in the Valdebebas district of the Spanish capital, both coaching staff and team-mates value the fact Ceballos can bring a style of play that is not so characteristic of the club’s other midfielders, more based on linking play.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Already hacked off by the renovation fiasco, the company’s longtime patrons pounced, accusing the corporation of betraying its history and values.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Sonicare brushing app is proof that this maxim couldn’t be truer.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
  • There's a maxim in the intelligence community always about speaking truth to power.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The grants were allocated under President Joe Biden's signature Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, an anti-gun violence law signed after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
    Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Aside from his signature 2021 criminal justice bill, Cooper signed legislation into law in 2020, allowing judges to reduce mandatory minimum sentences mandated by law for drug offenders.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Precept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precept. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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