1
as in honorable
following the accepted rules of moral conduct
a high-principled art expert who always told clients what he honestly thought their items were worth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ethical
guided by or in accordance with one's sense of right and wrong
a politician widely respected for her principled behavior in every office she ever held
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of principled
Pursuing the claim was a necessary and principled step to protect that right, as well as my career and livelihood.
—
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Likewise, the pipelines became totemic of the dependence on cheap Russian hydrocarbons that critics felt Europe traded for a principled stance on Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia in 2008.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Admirers see a principled independence; detractors see a political evolution that mirrors Washington's shifting winds.
—Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2025
Even the most principled of artists are being approached left and right and are starting to understand that the big-money offers just can’t be refused.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Likewise, the pipelines became totemic of the dependence on cheap Russian hydrocarbons that critics felt Europe traded for a principled stance on Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia in 2008.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Admirers see a principled independence; detractors see a political evolution that mirrors Washington's shifting winds.
—Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2025
Even the most principled of artists are being approached left and right and are starting to understand that the big-money offers just can’t be refused.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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Clarke, a junior, also was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection after totaling 30 tackles, eight passes defended and a fumble recovery in eight games.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Other than honorable discharges carry serious, long-term consequences, including the inability to access veteran benefits and disqualifications on becoming a police officer.—
Josh Wood,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Other ethical considerations will arise as the watches go into production.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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There are also social and ethical challenges that need to be addressed.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Yet, to be honest, our dance card is already mighty full with a whole array of different kinds of gigs – from big pop shows to classic rock concerts and a number of different small club shows.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Shared finances, emotional investments or trust issues become crystal clear, prompting honest conversations and practical decision-making.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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My appeal is not only personal, but also moral.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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Then there is the wider moral question of whether historical artifacts should ever be intentionally destroyed.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But the collective 2,700 horsepower delivers a top speed of 36 knots, which is very respectable for a 71-foot luxury motoryacht.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
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Syracuse started the season a respectable 3-1, with its only loss in its first four games being its season opener against Tennessee in Atlanta.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Bindi’s only six years older, but is very conscientious and a real caregiver.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
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There are unanswered overtures from the choir’s pianist Horner (Robert Emms), a soft, vulnerable young man whose conscientious-objector status renders him a fellow outsider.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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