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
As a Navajo man, as a principled man, Joe finds himself in turmoil over that decision.
—
Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
These call for enforcing ample limits on presidential power while leaving plenty of room for principled executive action, whether concerning good-faith stewardship of statutory requirements or the handling of foreign affairs.
—Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2025
The former feels principled and enduring; the latter can sound defensive.
—Scott Hutcheson, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
America is hurtling toward the loss of its democratic institutions and the establishment of an authoritarian state where there will be no civil discussion of these issues at all: That’s what a principled opposition must fight with its full might.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
These call for enforcing ample limits on presidential power while leaving plenty of room for principled executive action, whether concerning good-faith stewardship of statutory requirements or the handling of foreign affairs.
—Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2025
The former feels principled and enduring; the latter can sound defensive.
—Scott Hutcheson, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
America is hurtling toward the loss of its democratic institutions and the establishment of an authoritarian state where there will be no civil discussion of these issues at all: That’s what a principled opposition must fight with its full might.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Quang enjoyed a successful pharmaceutical sales stint as a top producer for Astra/Merck and then Genentech.—
Quang X. Pham,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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Instead, most of Bernadette’s assumptions — that working the border is an honorable act, or that a federal position will imbue her with more authority, or that all Native people will have the same opinions and the same goals — are upended over the course of the season.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some question whether the interest in crime content is ethical, but Golub said there are a lot of different reasons people are interested.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN Money,
10 May 2025
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However, that price reflects the cost of ethical production.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Comforting touch should be honest and clear – not ambiguous, not tentative and never assumed.—
Brian N. Chin,
The Conversation,
16 May 2025
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The African American mom, who is married to Polish Canadian Peter Gerber, told Newsweek that their approach to parenting is honest and intentional.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Why? Chemically, a gambling addiction functions the same way as a substance addiction, but a lot of people incorrectly see it as a moral failing or lack of self control, according to Cait Huble, of the National Council on Problem Gambling.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
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My resolution doesn’t seek to enforce a legal removal but to express our collective moral stance.—
Erin Murphy,
Boston Herald,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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The ensemble pic led by Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan fell a respectable 55 percent from its opening weekend, compared to an average decline of 57 percent for a title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2025
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These are respectable numbers for a half-ton pickup.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The whereabouts rules are in place to ensure a fair and consistent method of testing for all athletes — not just ones who come from nations with conscientious anti-doping practices.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
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By operating outside of the fast-churning fashion market with multi-year collections, Huang takes necessary time to be innovative and conscientious with her label’s designs and production.—
Cierra Black,
Essence,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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