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high-principled

high-principled

5.6
A person who has strong moral beliefs and acts honestly
  • adjective
  • /haɪ ˈprɪnsəpəld/
translation icon : de altos principios
  • The teacher admired him for being a high-principled individual who always stood by his beliefs.

Examples

  • His high-principled approach to business earned him the respect of his colleagues.

  • But Robinson, the nihilist, is high-principled about one thing only: not to lie about the very, very few things that really matter.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • So far you act all high-principled and heavy-handed, but don't have squat behind your words.

    Blog text (28)
  • In a world full of corruption, she remained high-principled and dedicated to her values.

Synonyms

noble
vshigh-principled
274 3.6

Having high moral qualities and kind intentions

emphasizes strict honesty and acting to meet very high standards
principled
vshigh-principled
39 3.8

A person or group that shows strong ideas about right and wrong and acts on them

stresses stricter honesty and integrity than general moral rules
high-minded
vshigh-principled
  • Formal
9 6.8

Someone who has strong moral beliefs and high ideals

prioritizes practical strict honesty and action over lofty intellectual ideals

How Principled

saintly
12 4.2
high-principled
5.6
upright
15 4.0
principled
39 3.8
ethical
280 4.1

Surface Forms

high-principled positive

Morphology

high-principled = high + principled (transparent) = high + principle + ed

The adjective is a straightforward compound of 'high' + 'principled', meaning 'having high principles'.

Etymology

The word high-principled joins high ('noble' or 'strong') and principle ('a basic rule' or 'a moral rule'). Think of a school principal who stands for the main rules; a high-principled person stands by the highest moral rules, so they act with strong honesty and clear standards.