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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
There is a difference between principled disagreement and deliberate avoidance.
—
Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
For Prisoner, Rahim plays treacherous convict Tibor Stone, whose life is put in the hands of a young, principled prison officer Amber (Izuka Hoyle).
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
But Robby’s big speeches are less rousing this season because the character is so out of sorts, making these moments come off more scold-y than principled.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
The story has a tragic air, because West comes across in Adult Braces and her other writings as likable, principled, and decent.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
For Prisoner, Rahim plays treacherous convict Tibor Stone, whose life is put in the hands of a young, principled prison officer Amber (Izuka Hoyle).
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
But Robby’s big speeches are less rousing this season because the character is so out of sorts, making these moments come off more scold-y than principled.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
The story has a tragic air, because West comes across in Adult Braces and her other writings as likable, principled, and decent.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principled
Adjective
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During the raid, the thieves stole the Cotofenesti helmet, one of Romania’s most honorable natural treasures, as well as three golden bracelets, according to the AP.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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After receiving an honorable discharge in 1972, Nolte returned to Raytown to begin a career as an electrician.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Engineers mustn’t forget their responsibility in creating responsible and ethical AI.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
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Skills such as judgment, creativity, communication, and ethical reasoning will become even more important as information is easier to generate.—
Bruce Broussard,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Be honest about what’s workable, and let creativity thrive within boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
-
October 23 – November 21 An honest shift today strengthens what truly matters.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The book resists tidy moral conclusions.—
Andrew Silow-Carroll,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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Very little offends me in a moral sense in the theater, but parts of this script came close.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Hawks shot 10-of-41 in Game 4, a respectable 13-of-33 in Game 3, 9-of-30 in Game 2 and 14-of-37 from deep in Game 1.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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His seven goals and 21 points this season were respectable for a now-21-year-old rookie, but Sandin-Pellikka’s value is predicated on his ability to move (and shoot) the puck.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dogs are allowed off-leash with conscientious owners.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2026
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Sam has encouraged the boy to be more conscientious with his studies and has been learning alongside him for years, picking up his schoolbooks and offering ideas on how to make the assignments more meaningful.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principled. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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