Synonyms of principled

principled

adjective

ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəld 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• honorable
• ethical
• honest
• respectable
• noble
• decent
• righteous
• upright
• upstanding
• conscientious
• good
• just
• moral
• nice
• respected
• stand-up
• irreproachable
• unassailable
• blameless
• unimpeachable
• proper
• virtuous
• chivalrous
• polite
• classy
• guiltless
• high-minded
• scrupulous
• incorruptible
• reputable
• right-minded
• fair
• uncorrupted
• decorous
• seemly
• menschy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unprincipled
• unjust
• dishonest
• dishonorable
• unworthy
• unethical
• low
• base
• ignoble
• criminal
• evil
• unrighteous
• immoral
• reprehensible
• corrupt
• bad
• mean
• sinful
• roguish
• crooked
• nefarious
• unfair
• iniquitous
• rotten
• unscrupulous
• rascally
• wicked
• vile
• villainous
• wretched
• culpable
• blameworthy
• knavish
• blamable
• censurable
• scoundrelly
• disreputable
• shameful
• loose
• disgraceful
• blackguardly
• perverse
• venal
• dissolute
• degenerate
• depraved
• perverted
• profligate
• libertine
• degraded
• demoralized
• debased
• decadent
• debauched
• dissipated
• reprobate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• honorable
• ethical
• moral
• conscientious
• honest
• responsible
• scrupulous
• good
• worthy
• respectful
• decent
• conscionable
• true
• virtuous
• just
• reliable
• righteous
• upright
• dutiful
• respected
• trustworthy
• right-minded
• straight
• observant
• solid
• reputable
• esteemed
• trusty
• upstanding
• tried-and-true
• overconscientious
• law-abiding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unprincipled
• unjust
• dishonest
• immoral
• unscrupulous
• dishonorable
• unethical
• evil
• unconscionable
• immoral
• bad
• wicked
• sinful
• cutthroat
• indecent
• unreliable
• unrighteous
• untrustworthy
• corrupt
• degenerate
• dissolute
• depraved
• perverted
• debased
• debauched
• villainous
• infamous
• vicious
• low
• atrocious
• evil-minded
• base
• mean
• vile
• nefarious
• reprobate
• iniquitous

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of principled

That tension — broad adoption alongside persistent, principled caution — is exactly what athenahealth’s AI on the Frontlines of Care research reflects. — Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Sadly, the science of monetary policy and other workhorses of monetary policy (The Phillips Curve), economic forecasting even appear to be unhelpful in Warsh's first principled approach. — Steve Liesman, CNBC, 22 July 2026

Sanctions prevent principled firms from being undercut by opportunistic competitors. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 July 2026

Anne and Abel rarely brought up the past with Michael and Robby, but when Ethel and Julius did come up, the Meeropols reinforced their sons’ impression of them as brave, principled people who had been wrongly executed. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026