as in rule
something (such as a belief or value) that helps a person know what is right and wrong and that influences their actions
He refused to participate on principle. It is against her principles to steal.
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Recent Examples of principle
The scientific principles at play include the Magnus effect, which is when an air pressure imbalance is created by the spin of the ball, and Newton’s third law of motion (every action has an equal and opposite reaction).
—
Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Markets shift and headlines fade, but the core principles of building long-term wealth remain constant.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 22 May 2026
The coeducational California Military Institute in Perris is also a public middle and high school with military principles.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
There was no statute behind the prohibition, nor was there an argument that derived it from first principles.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for principle
Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Markets shift and headlines fade, but the core principles of building long-term wealth remain constant.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 22 May 2026
The coeducational California Military Institute in Perris is also a public middle and high school with military principles.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
There was no statute behind the prohibition, nor was there an argument that derived it from first principles.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for principle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principle
Noun
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Hernandez will continue competing under CIF rules permitting transgender participation and is scheduled to compete Saturday, May 16, before advancing to the CIF finals in Clovis later this month.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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According to Anthropic, decisions made before 2028 could determine whether democratic nations or authoritarian governments shape the future rules and standards surrounding advanced AI.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Noun
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That particular section, which sets new standards around warehouse operations and gives employees more information about company quotas and biometric surveillance, has drawn pushback from CBIA.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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The fire extinguisher incident was the latest pitfall in a season that, even by Marseille’s own inherently chaotic standards, has stretched the bounds of credibility.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Under Louisiana law, if no candidate clears the 50% threshold the top two finishers run again in a June 27 runoff.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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Passed in the final days of session and signed into law by Lamont earlier this week, the bill was praised as a massive victory for the state’s labor community and has been strongly embraced by unions and workers advocacy groups.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Noun
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The question turned into an accidental personality test, exposing some of each artist’s values.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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Ryan Rollins was one of the only bright spots from Milwaukee’s season, providing great value as a playmaker and shooter who competes defensively and has a nose for the ball.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principle. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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