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
They are principled, cheerful, resilient leaders.
—
Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2026
Prosecutor Melinkovich has shown what principled enforcement of animal cruelty law can look like.
—Wendy Keefover, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Similar to the time Apple took on the FBI by refusing to unlock an iPhone belonging to a terrorist suspect, Anthropic will likely be remembered as a principled and moral actor.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026
And more recently, Anthropic staked out principled positions on not incorporating advertising into its Claude products and not developing chatbots specifically designed to be romantic or erotic companions.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2026
Prosecutor Melinkovich has shown what principled enforcement of animal cruelty law can look like.
—Wendy Keefover, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Similar to the time Apple took on the FBI by refusing to unlock an iPhone belonging to a terrorist suspect, Anthropic will likely be remembered as a principled and moral actor.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026
And more recently, Anthropic staked out principled positions on not incorporating advertising into its Claude products and not developing chatbots specifically designed to be romantic or erotic companions.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
-
The people in Japan are so honorable.—
Matt Bomer,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
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Third team Gonzaga senior Graham Ike, an honorable-mention pick two years ago, earned third-team honors this season.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Douglas said some providers fear losing positions or facing consequences for refusing to treat patients or perform actions that violate their ethical principles.—
Lucas Aulbach,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Both parties are vying for the ethical high ground before the November elections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s nothing funnier than being honest.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Ready to be honest about what lights you up?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Back home, humans have bonded with aiyi, a species of near-omnipotent artificial intelligence that operates according to its own moral code.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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One is 1969’s Paul Mazursky comedy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice in which two couples wind up over their heads in stretching the moral limits of their relationships in an ever-changing society.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The $699 model bumps the storage to a more respectable 512 GB and adds Touch ID for unlocking the Neo, handling credential passkeys and making purchases.—
Dwight Silverman,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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Watson, a medical mystery drama set in the Sherlock Holmes universe, did respectable business in its midseason launch last season on Sundays behind Tracker, earning a Season 2 renewal.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This conscientious engagement is well-suited for futures, which often reward market awareness and preparation.—
Wyles Daniel,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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The retreat’s quiet atmosphere and conscientious design reflect their belief in the restorative powers of simplicity, reflection, and connection with nature.—
Kelsey Eisen,
Robb Report,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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