in principle

phrase

: with respect to fundamentals
They accepted the offer in principle.

Examples of in principle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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 Athletic reported on Sunday that Tottenham Hotspur had reached an agreement in principle to sign Ndiaye from Everton, while Everton had also reached an equivalent agreement for Richarlison. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026 All of these problems could, in principle, be solved by algorithms. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 Analysts say that's partly because the deals are narrow in scope, largely exist only in principle, and don't apply to existing drugs used by the more than 200 million Americans with commercial or private health insurance. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Deloitte's workforce research finds finance leaders increasingly favor training their existing teams over hiring new AI-fluent talent, a sound strategy in principle but one that takes considerably longer to pay off than simply buying a new tool. — Anders Liu-Lindberg, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in principle

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in principle was in 1756

Rhymes for in principle

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Browse Nearby Words

in preparation for
in principle
in print
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In principle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20principle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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