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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Recent Examples of principled
People can accept tough news more easily when the process feels principled, consistent and human.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Erika, played by Hüller in the latest of several remarkable performances, is less cautious and more principled.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
And that's a very, very big problem for Democrats who are trying to make principled arguments.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
In prosecutors’ telling, Ryan, fueled by his anger, intentionally killed his father-in-law, who was remembered by several friends as a principled and loving family man.
—Mark Morales, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Erika, played by Hüller in the latest of several remarkable performances, is less cautious and more principled.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
And that's a very, very big problem for Democrats who are trying to make principled arguments.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
In prosecutors’ telling, Ryan, fueled by his anger, intentionally killed his father-in-law, who was remembered by several friends as a principled and loving family man.
—Mark Morales, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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And Florida passed only because one player made the honorable decision.—
David Mica,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
Granger's intentions are honorable, and O'Donnell sparks his performance with life, making his tragic end that much more gutting.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The movement advocates for mindful consumption with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and ethical production.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
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Why Accountability Diffusion Happens The root cause is architectural, not ethical.—
David Flower,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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An honest summary would still pass the buck to the voters on a grossly dishonest scheme, but at least the voters might recognize a description that doesn’t cajole, coax and mislead them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
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The partner who honors their own limits stays honest.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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Once again, extraordinary wealth is concentrating into fewer hands while technology races ahead faster than society’s moral conscience.—
Tom Debley,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
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There are plenty of shows about the moral void of the rich, but none with so much fire in its belly, or ice in its veins.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Given the Scottish team featured Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Billy Bremner and Joe Jordan, that was a relatively respectable result.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Being on man time and being respectable.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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After a two-year National Service stint as a hospital orderly (thanks to his own conscientious-objector status), Hockney landed at the Royal College of Art, in London, in the fall of 1959.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
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Cap Rocat also aims to preserve and strengthen the natural and social environment through a conscientious selection of suppliers engaged in sustainable fishing and organic and zero-kilometer products.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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