on principle

phrase

: because of one's beliefs
She refused on principle to give toy guns to the children.

Examples of on principle in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The desire to spoil, to transgress on principle, to épater le bourgeois—those are the words of the avant-garde artist. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 He might be seen as a threat by the king’s aides on principle. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Another American frontier model refused to help defend it, on principle, not by accident. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 Trump’s second term has bizarrely veered into territory his predecessors would have eschewed on principle. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for on principle

Rhymes for on principle

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Browse Nearby Words

on press
on principle
on probation
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Cite this Entry

“On principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20principle. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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