Principle example sentences

Related (14): principal, principled, unprincipled, moral, ethics, value, belief, foundation, rule, law, standard, tenet, doctrine, conviction

"Principle" Example Sentences

The whole company was built on the principle that customers come first.
She stuck to her principle even when it cost her the job.
In principle, the plan sounds great — but nobody's thought through the details.
He abandoned every principle he'd ever claimed to believe in for money.
The principle behind the machine is actually pretty simple once you understand it.
My dad always said the principle of hard work would get you anywhere.
They're arguing about principle now, not the actual money involved.
I can't support it — it goes against my core principle.
Working on the principle that honesty is the best policy, she told him everything.
The principle of supply and demand doesn't always work in real markets.
She'd compromised so many principles by the time she realized what she'd done.
On principle alone, I won't shop there anymore.
The principle sounds good until you try to actually live by it.
He was a man of principle, which made him terrible at business.
That's the principle we're operating under, whether you like it or not.
The principle of least resistance is why most people give up.
I disagree with you on principle, not on the facts.
The principle here is that nobody gets special treatment.
She taught her kids the principle of treating others how you'd want to be treated.
In principle, we should all have equal access — but we don't.
The principle of the thing matters more to him than winning.
They're fighting over principle while the real problem gets worse.
The principle behind their decision was completely sound.
He lost his job because he wouldn't compromise on principle.
The principle of transparency is what they claim to value most.
Working on the principle that prevention is better than cure, we started early.
She had one principle left and she wasn't about to break it.
The principle of mutual respect should apply here.
In principle, you're right — but in practice, it's impossible.
He stood by the principle even when nobody else did.

Common Phrases

in principle
on principle
principle of
core principle
guiding principle
fundamental principle
stick to your principle
compromise on principle
principle and practice
matter of principle
principle-based
operating principle

Examples by Level

The principle is simple — be kind to everyone.
My teacher explained the principle of sharing to the class.

She believed in the principle that hard work pays off.
The principle behind the rule was to keep everyone safe.

On principle, he refused to lie even when it would have been easier.
The principle sounds good in theory, but it doesn't work in real life.

She'd spent years compromising on principle until she barely recognized herself.
The principle of fairness is what drives most of his decisions, for better or worse.

What began as a matter of principle gradually transformed into something far more personal and destructive.
The principle underlying their entire philosophy was that individual freedom must always supersede collective good.

There's a particular kind of loneliness that comes from standing by a principle nobody else believes in anymore.
He'd constructed his entire identity around a principle so rigid it had become, paradoxically, the source of his greatest moral compromises.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

My kid asked why we recycle, and I explained the principle of taking care of the planet.
I turned down the shortcut on principle — I wasn't going to cut through someone's yard.

💼 Workplace

The manager said we're operating on the principle that everyone gets treated the same way.
He refused the promotion because it would mean compromising on principle.

📊 Business

The company's guiding principle is that profit should never come at the expense of worker safety.
We built the entire business model on the principle of transparency with our clients.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

I won't buy from that store on principle — their labor practices are terrible.
The principle behind their pricing is that quality should be affordable.

✈️ Travel

We booked the more expensive hotel on principle because they treat their staff well.
The principle of traveling slow meant we spent three weeks in one small town.

📚 Education

The school's principle is that every student should feel safe and valued.
She taught the principle of critical thinking by having us question everything.

❤️ Relationships

We broke up because he wouldn't stick to his principle of honesty — he kept lying.
The principle we agreed on was that we'd always tell each other the truth, no matter what.

📰 News / Politics

The senator claims to support the principle of free speech, but only when it's convenient.
Environmental groups are pushing for a principle that corporations should pay for pollution.

💻 Technology

The app's principle is that your data should never be sold to third parties.
The principle of open-source software is that code should be freely available to everyone.

📝 Formal Writing

The principle of informed consent requires that all participants understand the risks involved.
This study operates on the principle that reproducibility is essential to scientific validity.