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
Their mini-quests provide a bit of decent action here and there, as well as plenty of principled banter between a blinkered optimist (Lucy) and jaded doomsayer (Ghoul).
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
That one colossal misjudgment undermines our belief in Ella’s principled intelligence.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for principled
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
That one colossal misjudgment undermines our belief in Ella’s principled intelligence.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Dec. 2025
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
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,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Rickman played Colonel Brandon, the quiet, honorable, older man who falls in love with one of the Dashwood daughters, Marianne (Kate Winslet), competing for her heart against the secretly scandalous John Willoughby (Greg Wise).—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That archival function sharpens the series’ ethical core.—
Alexandra Martinez,
Artforum,
15 Jan. 2026
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On Thursday the Guardian reported that an Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official had announced a halt to the trial, citing ethical concerns.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sharing the video felt like a way to acknowledge that reality in an honest way.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Most Americans are good, honest, hardworking Americans who want to make their country a better place.—
Tony Dokoupil,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The radical shifts in France — regicide, the Committee of Public Safety’s terror, and expansionist campaigns — dissolved the moral and practical basis for the alliance.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Without genuine emotional experience or moral agency, AI cannot provide the accountability that comes from being seen by another person.—
Dr. Jesse Finkelstein,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But after a transfer of ownership and a revamp of the voting body, the Golden Globes TV awards have gotten positively respectable.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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Rookie Andres Borregales made 27 of 32 attempts, a respectable mark.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Also, remain mindful and conscientious of how our actions affect those beyond ourselves.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
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To maintain this level of ethical, equitable basketball, the Bulls need a facilitator — a conscientious, unselfish playmaker who can read the court and set up teammates at a high level.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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