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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of principled
That warning went unheeded, and Wisconsin has seen only the beginning of what an alarming shift from thoughtful, principled judicial service toward bitter partisanship, personal attacks, and political gamesmanship is that have no place in court.
—
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Chrissie Davis Chrissie Davis is rewriting what leadership in construction looks like and proving that principled leadership can succeed and scale.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
The origin of the Bill of Rights was less a principled and honorable declaration of the founders’ commitment to fundamental liberties and more a compromise to get the states to ratify the new Constitution of the United States.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 25 Aug. 2025
Doing so is both principled and a way to send a harsh, very needed and entirely deserved rebuke to California’s untrustworthy political establishment.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Chrissie Davis Chrissie Davis is rewriting what leadership in construction looks like and proving that principled leadership can succeed and scale.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
The origin of the Bill of Rights was less a principled and honorable declaration of the founders’ commitment to fundamental liberties and more a compromise to get the states to ratify the new Constitution of the United States.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 25 Aug. 2025
Doing so is both principled and a way to send a harsh, very needed and entirely deserved rebuke to California’s untrustworthy political establishment.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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That would be the honest, fair and honorable thing to do.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
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This reversal deeply disrespects every honorable soldier who's had our Stars and Stripes draped over their casket as Taps play in the background.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In early August, the Daily Caller reported more ethical concerns.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Boone and Crockett Club is a leading voice for ethical, legal, and restrained hunting in North America, and often recalls that managed, legal hunting is responsible for the return of depleted wildlife populations in America a century ago.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.—
Steve Sedgwick,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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But when those larger firms start to adopt similar habits—open forums, early interventions, honest check-ins—things change fast.—
Stephan Lendi,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Attached to Paxton is a long list of ethical and moral problems.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Carlson pressed him on what moral framework governs those decisions.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But all of that also was punctured in the last Super Bowl, when the Chiefs fell behind 34-0 before putting up some late points to make the final margin appear far more respectable than the game was.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
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Duke has at least been respectable for some time.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Younger adults in particular are less conscientious, agreeable, extroverted and open to new experiences than past generations, while neuroticism — marked by anxiety and emotional instability — is rising.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
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Most of the traits that are good, like being conscientious and agreeable are also cool, but in different capacities.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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