agreed on in principle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "agreed on in principle" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a general agreement has been reached, although the details may still need to be finalized. Example: "The committee has agreed on in principle to move forward with the new policy, pending further discussions on the specifics."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

For Palestinian politicians, the task of fleshing out the reconciliation deal agreed on in principle last month between their two main factions, the Islamist Hamas and the more secular Fatah, rapidly returned to the fore.

The Economist

The deal, agreed on "in principle" by France, could be formalised during a visit to Paris next month by Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev.

The Economist

The exports had been agreed on in principle in 2002, as long as these countries gave data on elephant poaching and population levels.

The Economist

A €3 billion capital increase agreed on in principle in March, which hands both Dongfeng, a Chinese carmaker, and the French state 14% stakes in exchange for €800m apiece, will help PSA secure its future.

The Economist

Among the association's most contentious projects was to establish spending caps, which were agreed on in principle by the association's 11 member teams in 2009, as a means of controlling costs and leveling the playing field.

The New York Times

The deal, which was agreed on in principle several weeks ago, includes a 12 percent reduction in player salaries, a limit to the length of player contracts and a host of other changes designed to shrink the gap between the strongest and weakest teams.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Iraq, for its part, has already condemned the setting up of the committees, complaining, with good reason, that it will lead only to further delays in fixing a new policy.The one measure that all the parties agree on in principle is an effort to increase humanitarian aid.

The Economist

President Bush's agreement to a "general time horizon" for withdrawing American troops in Iraq has opened the door to new consideration of strengthening the American and NATO presence in Afghanistan, which Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain agree on in principle.

The New York Times

The expanded bailout agreed to in principle on July 21 might have made a larger difference had it gone into effect immediately.

The New York Times

The deal outlined to the court on Tuesday and agreed to in principle by Merrill Lynch and the Carcieri administration would have the bank reduce the total debt load to $300 million from $589 million and require BLB to find a new operator within 120 days.

The New York Times

One obvious and agreed on principle is that in general the negation of a sortal predicate is not a sortal.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "agreed on in principle", follow up with an explanation of the next steps required to finalize the agreement.

Common error

Avoid treating something "agreed on in principle" as a done deal. Always clarify that further steps are necessary for full implementation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "agreed on in principle" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the extent or nature of the agreement. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates that a general agreement has been reached, but the details might need to be finalized.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

11%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "agreed on in principle" is a useful expression to indicate a preliminary consensus. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and generally indicates that further details need to be worked out. It's most commonly found in news and media sources, conveying a neutral to professional tone. When using this phrase, be sure to manage expectations by clarifying that the agreement is not yet final. Related alternatives include "provisionally agreed upon" and "tentatively approved", offering nuanced ways to express similar concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provisionally agreed upon

Specifies that the agreement is temporary or subject to change, emphasizing its preliminary nature.

tentatively approved

Highlights the conditional aspect of the agreement, suggesting it could be reversed or modified.

conceptually approved

Indicates agreement on the idea, but implies details still need to be worked out.

preliminarily consented to

Formal synonym highlighting the initial stage of consent, implying further steps are necessary.

generally concurred with

Emphasizes widespread agreement, but suggests individual details might still require negotiation.

in broad agreement

Stresses agreement on the main points, leaving room for disagreement on specific elements.

reached a preliminary understanding

Highlights the understanding aspect, suggesting the agreement may not yet be fully binding.

has a basic consensus

Underlines the aspect of general consent and shared vision, yet leaving room for discussions to iron out some differences.

informally approved

Points out that the approval wasn't done with official procedures but more on an informal understanding.

subject to formal approval

Emphasizes that the current agreement is not final and depends on further approvals.

FAQs

What does "agreed on in principle" mean?

It means there is a general agreement or consensus, but the specific details still need to be worked out and finalized.

What can I say instead of "agreed on in principle"?

You can use alternatives like "provisionally agreed upon", "tentatively approved", or "conceptually approved" depending on the context.

Is "agreed on in principle" formal or informal?

It's generally considered neutral to formal, suitable for professional and news contexts. However, be mindful of the specific audience and situation.

What's the difference between "agreed on in principle" and "subject to formal approval"?

"Agreed on in principle" implies a basic level of agreement has been reached, while "subject to formal approval" emphasizes that the agreement is not final and requires an official confirmation.