on principle
idiom
: because of one's beliefs
She refused on principle to give toy guns to the children.
Examples of on principle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many Republicans oppose short-term funding measures on principle, and also have misgivings about voting to increase the debt ceiling.
—
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024
There is no evidence Duffy is against tariffs on principle.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But the ban on solicitation is not merely imposed on principle alone, says Michael Waddington, a criminal defense attorney who specializes in court-marial cases.
—Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2024
Trump’s decision to withdraw about 2,000 troops from Syria reportedly led U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis to resign from his position, the first resignation on principle by a senior member of the cabinet in 40 years.
—Robert Satloff, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019
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Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024
There is no evidence Duffy is against tariffs on principle.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But the ban on solicitation is not merely imposed on principle alone, says Michael Waddington, a criminal defense attorney who specializes in court-marial cases.
—Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2024
Trump’s decision to withdraw about 2,000 troops from Syria reportedly led U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis to resign from his position, the first resignation on principle by a senior member of the cabinet in 40 years.
—Robert Satloff, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019
See all Example Sentences for on principle
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Cite this Entry
“On principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20principle. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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