principled
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of principled
Explanation
If you decide to take a lower grade rather than cheat on a test, you are making a principled decision, or one that is based on moral rightness. Most people have a set of principles or basic moral rules that they follow. These might include not stealing, not cheating, and treating people as you would like to be treated. Decisions made following these rules are principled, as are people who follow their principles often. If you take a principled stance on censorship, your defend or refute it actively based on your convictions.
Vocabulary lists containing principled
President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
They Called Us Enemy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Obama's State of the Union Address, 2014
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Or is it what we call avoidance when we want avoidance to sound principled?
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
So I think it’s important not to say this is a principled court that is supportive of executive power.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
To prevail over his political enemies in Paris, Robespierre, who was nicknamed the Incorruptible, abandoned his principled commitment to the abolition of slavery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
Whipp says of lead Michael Shannon: He “usually plays the assassin. In ‘Death by Lightning,’ he plays President James A. Garfield, showing us a principled man who aims for a life of public service.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
Virginia's true position was less principled than it looked.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
