on principle
Idioms-
On moral or ethical grounds. As James Russell Lowell wrote about Alexander Pope in 1871, “There was a time when I could not read Pope, but disliked him on principle.” [First half of 1800s]
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According to a fixed rule or practice. For example, The police were locking up the demonstrators on principle . [First half of 1800s]
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on general principle . For no special reason, in general, as in Dean won't touch broccoli on general principle . [First half of 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet she often avoids office collections on principle, not personality, disliking how impersonal they can feel.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Samuelson urged her colleagues to stand strong: “There are times when you need courage; stand on principle even if you stand alone.”
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
Nor are they on principle opposed to immigrants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026
While rejecting discriminatory pricing on principle, they are also worried for practical reasons, as staff will now need to check visitors' identity papers.
From Barron's ● Jan. 13, 2026
Even if you weren’t in the mood, you did it on principle.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
