on principle
idiom
: because of one's beliefs
She refused on principle to give toy guns to the children.
Examples of on principle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are a small handful of primarily religious schools that refuse, on principle, to take any federal money at all.
—
Holly Yan, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
Many House Republicans refuse on principle to vote for a debt-limit adjustment; securing one requires weeks of negotiations and Democratic coöperation in both chambers.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
And, here at home, seven federal prosecutors resigned on principle last week.
—CBS News, 16 Feb. 2025
Though egg salad is simple on principle, there are still decidedly good ones, bad ones, and heavenly ones.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on principle
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Holly Yan, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
Many House Republicans refuse on principle to vote for a debt-limit adjustment; securing one requires weeks of negotiations and Democratic coöperation in both chambers.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
And, here at home, seven federal prosecutors resigned on principle last week.
—CBS News, 16 Feb. 2025
Though egg salad is simple on principle, there are still decidedly good ones, bad ones, and heavenly ones.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on principle
Cite this Entry
“On principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20principle. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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