Tom is principled, isn't he?
Source: tatoeba (3730431)
Principled
/ˈpɹɪnsɪpəld/
Synonyms for "principled" (159 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (32)
Noun(6 words)
academic integritycentral principleethical decisionethical mattersethical principleethical social practice
Adjective(16 words)
brave personconscience-basedconscientiousconsistentethicalethical attributeethical awarenessethical chemical manipulationethical decision makingethical dilemmaethical guidelineethical leadershipethical matterethical practiceethical standardethical standards
Strong matches (48)
Adjective(14 words)
ethical systemethical theoryfirm basisguiding abilitieshippocraticimmoral chemical experimentationincorruptiblemoralmoral choicemoral frameworkmoral groundingsmoral human beingmoral idealmoral judgment
Noun(15 words)
ethics discussionethrilfrench théoriquegood management principleshuman rightideal conductintegration of individual valuesmoral beingmoral codemoral deliberationmoral groundingmoral groundsmoral integritymoral motivemoral norms
fairfull of integritygoodhigh principledhigh-mindedhigh-principledhighly respectablehonesthonorableimmaculateinviolateirreproachablejustlaw abidinglaw-abidinglaw-lovinglaw-reveringmanlymoral
Related words (79)
Noun(16 words)
moral obligationmoral principlemoral qualitymoral valuemoral worldlinessmorally uprightmore uprightmost idealisticoverfitting controltheory baseduniversity communityupright conductupright cueutilitarianvalues driven frameworkvithar
Adjective(24 words)
moral qualitiesmoral reasoningmoral rulemoral stancemoral valuesmoralisticnonromance curriculumpersonal codepersonal ethicspersuasive speakingscientific knowledgescientific principlesocial responsibilitysteadfastteaching principletheoretical skillunchanged valuesuncompromisingupright posturevalorous
Show 4 more words
Verb(2 words)
scrupleduphold communal values
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: academic integrity, blameless, brave person, central principle, christian.
- Sentence evidence is available for principled, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "principled".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "principled"
Keep "principled" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "principled" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "principled", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "principled" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriescharacter traitmoral stance
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
5 entriesprincipled argumentprincipled decisionprincipled leadershipprincipled researchprincipled stance
Inflections
2 entriesmore principledmost principled
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
2 entriesTranslations
11 translations across 9 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- սկզբունքային adj (having principles)
Bulgarian
1 entries- принципен adj (having principles)
Finnish
2 entries- periaatteellinen adj (having principles)
- periaatteen- adj (having principles)
German
2 entries- prinzipienfest adj (having principles)
- prinzipientreu adj (having principles)
Serbo-Croatian
1 entries- начелан adj (having principles)
Spanish
1 entries- de principios adj (having principles)
Swedish
1 entries- principfast adj (having principles)
Ukrainian
1 entries- принципо́вий adj (having principles)
Welsh
1 entries- egwyddorol adj (having principles)
Sample sentences
7 total sentences available.
Mary is principled, isn't she?
Source: tatoeba (6427280)
When principled, denying the right of Israel to exist isn't always antisemitic.
Source: tatoeba (10279366)
He was an honorable, high principled man, and not for the world would he have been guilty of an act which could produce new discord with those already divided hearts.
Source: tatoeba (11906409)
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "principled"?
Closest matches include academic integrity, blameless, brave person, central principle, christian.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "principled"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.