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
Internxt is built around the principles of privacy and transparency.
—
PC Magazine, 8 Nov. 2025
The same principle that protects a musician’s royalties or an author’s manuscript should protect the digital assets of the creative class.
—Gerard Scimeca, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
If one were to use that fundamental mathematical principle — often referenced as if A=B and B=C then A=C — entering Thursday’s Class 4A state football quarterfinal, things did not look promising for Hill-Murray but did for Kasson-Mantorville.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
The 12-step program is based on Biblical principles.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principle
PC Magazine, 8 Nov. 2025
The same principle that protects a musician’s royalties or an author’s manuscript should protect the digital assets of the creative class.
—Gerard Scimeca, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
If one were to use that fundamental mathematical principle — often referenced as if A=B and B=C then A=C — entering Thursday’s Class 4A state football quarterfinal, things did not look promising for Hill-Murray but did for Kasson-Mantorville.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
The 12-step program is based on Biblical principles.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principle
Noun
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Under the rule, the agency could ask for facial images, iris scans, finger and palm prints, voice prints and even DNA.—
Jude Joffe-Block,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
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Students already in medical school who have taken out federal loans before the new rules take effect on July 1 will be exempted from the cap.—
Tribune News Service,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Listening to local voices, setting clear standards for transparency and human rights, and responding firmly to breaches of those standards—including by India—will be key to making deals in South Asia that can last.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
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Thrombectomy is the gold-standard treatment for major vessel blockages, but access remains scarce.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to military law, while Israeli settlers are subject to Israeli civilian law.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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More than half of states now have some form of school cellphone ban enshrined in law, and about two-thirds of school principals reported in a recent RAND survey that their schools have an all-day cellphone ban in place.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Entry-level workers experiment freely and the C-suite sees strategic value, yet middle managers often struggle to bridge the gap.—
Feon Ang,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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In addition, people without insurance use less care, even high-value care, which can impact future health.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principle. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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