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

See Examples For:

in principle

I agree, in principle, that we all only need to be good at one thing.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026

“There’s a number of high-level things that people are opposed to in principle that are not represented in the language,” he said, noting the bill gives state regulators access to the algorithms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Wisdom teeth aren’t useless in principle, but they no longer fit comfortably within modern skulls.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

Shares in the low-cost airline jumped to a four-year high after it agreed in principle to a takeover bid from the U.S. asset manager.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Addison himself claimed to be neutral on the subject: he believed in witchcraft in principle, but not in the validity of any particular accusation of witchcraft.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton