Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

principled

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of principled

1 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 of principled

decent, ethical, honest, honorable, just, noble, respectable, righteous, stand-up, upright, upstanding
Words Related to principled

blameless, guiltless, irreproachable, unassailable, unimpeachable

chivalrous, classy, high-minded, menschy, right-minded

conscientious, fair, good, incorruptible, moral, reputable, respected, scrupulous, uncorrupted, virtuous

decorous, nice, polite, proper, seemly
Near Antonyms of principled

bad, blackguardly, corrupt, criminal, crooked, evil, immoral, iniquitous, knavish, mean, nefarious, rascally, reprehensible, roguish, rotten, scoundrelly, sinful

unfair, unscrupulous, vile, villainous, wicked, wretched

blamable, blameworthy, censurable, culpable

debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, disgraceful, disreputable, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, profligate, reprobate, shameful, venal
Antonyms of principled

base, dishonest, dishonorable, ignoble, low, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unworthy

2 guided by or in accordance with oneʼs sense of right and wrong

  • a politician widely respected for her principled behavior in every office she ever held
Synonyms of principled

conscientious, conscionable, ethical, honest, honorable, just, moral, scrupulous
Words Related to principled

decent, good, righteous, right-minded, straight, upright, virtuous

dutiful, observant, respectful

overconscientious

reliable, responsible, solid, tried-and-true, true, trustworthy, trusty

esteemed, law-abiding, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy
Near Antonyms of principled

bad, black, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unrighteous, wicked

unreliable, untrustworthy

corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, perverted, reprobate

atrocious, infamous, villainous

base, low, mean, vicious, vile

iniquitous, nefarious
Antonyms of principled

cutthroat, dishonest, dishonorable, immoral, unconscionable, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unscrupulous

Learn More about principled

  1. Dictionary: Definition of principled

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up principled? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games