in principle

Idioms  

1. Fundamentally, in general, but not necessarily in all particulars. For example, The diplomats accepted the idea in principle but would rely on experts to work out all the details. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

The 9th Circuit upheld that measure in principle, but said California went too far by requiring the owner to post a prominent sign expressly authorizing guns.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

No, the analogy can’t take us that far; there are no ingredients here, just a calculation you could, in principle, do by hand.

From Slate • May 25, 2026

The New York Times reported Sunday that the U.S. and Iran agreed in principle to cease hostilities and fully reopen the strait, with the issue of Iran’s nuclear materials to be negotiated later.

From MarketWatch • May 24, 2026

Both countries agreed in principle to discuss a framework for reciprocal tariff reductions on products of equivalent value under a trade council mechanism, with each side covering goods worth at least US$30 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Both the Kuhnian and Popperian positions are, in principle, compatible with an understanding of what science does; the Wittgensteinian position, as presented by his followers, is inherently anti-scientific.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton