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
Sensible, principled, and conservative but able to work across the aisle, Kirkmeyer is the best Republican candidate to run for governor in years.
—
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
Massie ‘most principled’ House rep, Paul says Paul, for his part, dismissed efforts to end Massie’s tenure in Congress by running someone against him.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
Both shows mix humor, philosophy, and principled outrage, riding the roller coaster of daily life in a world of stunning beauty and glaring injustice instead of conforming to any prepackaged TV format.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Foreign policy is difficult, and pursuing a principled foreign policy is even harder.
—Michelle Gavin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
Massie ‘most principled’ House rep, Paul says Paul, for his part, dismissed efforts to end Massie’s tenure in Congress by running someone against him.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
Both shows mix humor, philosophy, and principled outrage, riding the roller coaster of daily life in a world of stunning beauty and glaring injustice instead of conforming to any prepackaged TV format.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Foreign policy is difficult, and pursuing a principled foreign policy is even harder.
—Michelle Gavin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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But while that attempt to shield his team may be honorable, the reality is that the Miami back line has let him down on too many occasions this season.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Mason is an honorable man who has fallen on hard times and is desperately trying to keep from losing the family ranch.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Since you’re still considered a federal employee on furlough, any job must fall within the federal government’s standards of ethical conduct and rules.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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In fact, Veja’s cost of goods is three times higher than that of comparable products due to this ethical sourcing.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Anonymity also allows the scouts to be completely honest, without fear of reprisals.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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At the time, the Times responded by affirming a commitment to honest dialogue and mutual respect among colleagues.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There is no military strength without moral strength, no good outcome when summoning tempers alongside uncertainty and rifles, and no margin for error in what may come next.—
Keith Wilson,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Right now, people want moral courage and clear calls to action.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The series boasted respectable special effects, cool early CGI spaceship design, and old-fashioned space escapades.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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When Sotheby’s rolled out a selection of Grateful Dead memorabilia in October 2021, a mango yellow T-shirt made in 1967 and featuring the band’s logo was expected to rake in a respectable $6,000 to $8,000.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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More than 70 percent of the participants were identified as being open-minded, conscientious, and emotionally stable.—
Alyssa Ages,
Outside,
30 Sep. 2025
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More than 30 years ago, Greider, a conscientious journalist with a keen eye for detail, exposed how the American political system had been bent toward wealthy interests who could afford to hire lobbyists.—
Zephyr Teachout,
The Atlantic,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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