as in rule
something (such as a belief or value) that helps a person know what is right and wrong and that influences their actions
He refused to participate on principle. It is against her principles to steal.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of principle
Two books by leading First Amendment scholars offer a timely defense of the principle that politicians should not try to control what universities and professors teach their students.
—
David Cole, The New York Review of Books, 3 Apr. 2025
Country Montessori School is dedicated to providing children an education based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles that focus on the development of the whole child, including the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual.
—Jose Bolanos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Are the Trump executive orders endangering this principle?
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2025
According to the White House, the two leaders discussed both Ukraine and the Middle East, agreeing in principle on the need to prevent further conflict and to ensure Iran can never threaten Israel's existence.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principle
David Cole, The New York Review of Books, 3 Apr. 2025
Country Montessori School is dedicated to providing children an education based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles that focus on the development of the whole child, including the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual.
—Jose Bolanos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Are the Trump executive orders endangering this principle?
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2025
According to the White House, the two leaders discussed both Ukraine and the Middle East, agreeing in principle on the need to prevent further conflict and to ensure Iran can never threaten Israel's existence.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principle
Noun
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Dunne’s Back-Pay Argument Dunne committed to LSU in 2017, four years before the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Interim rules went into effect.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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For 18 months, every discussion about Newcastle United’s transfer strategy has necessitated mention of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As the Trump administration continues to roll out policies targeting immigrants, experts and immigration attorneys caution the likelihood of more officers following suit and creating a new standard.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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Seventy-five percent of first-class mail will retain its previous delivery standard, 14 percent will be accelerated, and 11 percent may experience a slight delay.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The memo signed by Rubio also makes the case that another person, whose name is redacted, should be deportable under the same law.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
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This relic of constitutional law, which the Supreme Court hasn’t taken seriously since its quiet death in the New Deal era, is more mythical than historical—holding, more or less, that Congress cannot delegate its lawmaking power to another branch of government.—
Cristian Farias,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Wherever the original source of the incorrect headline came from, it was amplified by trusted sources in financial news, creating a very expensive lesson in the value of accurate and reliable reporting.—
Hadas Gold and Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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However, the compounded value of correct predictions in later rounds, particularly the Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship, amplified the separation in weighted performance.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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