agreed on principles

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "agreed on principles" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a consensus or mutual understanding regarding fundamental beliefs or guidelines. Example: "The committee members were all agreed on principles before moving forward with the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

[C1.] Plan Aims to Remove Hurdles to Research To remove obstacles to joint research, four leading technology companies and seven American universities have agreed on principles for making software developed in collaborative projects freely available.

The New York Times

vice president, said that the university and the United Auto Workers, the union representing its graduate students, had agreed on principles to protect N.Y.U.'s "academic values, nature and mission".

The New York Times

Yahoo! also settled a lawsuit with the families of both Mr Shi and Mr Wang, and has since condemned the suppression of free speech.In this section Bad blood Plus ça change Serving two masters Too small an ocean ReprintsToday Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google are members of the Global Network Initiative, an organisation that has agreed on principles of free expression and online privacy.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 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

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

SEP

According to the announcement, the boards of both companies and its shareholders have agreed on principle terms for the acquisition of 100% of Gioco Digitale, but did state that although the acquisition was progressing, there could be no certainty that a final binding agreement on the transaction will be reached.

TechCrunch

While 22 European nations have agreed "on principle" to share 160,000 refugees across at least 22 countries, a formal decision that would make such a scheme binding was notably postponed during a meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels on Monday.

Vice

These are the so-called "quartet principles," agreed on by the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia.

The New York Times

Agreeing on principles for openness and perhaps even standards at this stage would benefit some firms and hurt others.

The Economist

Mr. Lay told him that "he and Enron would like to support me as chairman, but we would have to agree on principles" involving the commission's role in expanding electricity competition, Mr. Hébert said of the conversation.

The New York Times

In the international original position representatives of each people agree on principles for the international basic structure.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "agreed on principles", ensure the context clearly defines what those principles are or refers to a previously established set of guidelines.

Common error

Avoid using "agreed on principles" without specifying or referencing the actual principles. This can lead to ambiguity and misinterpretation. Always ensure clarity regarding the principles in question.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "agreed on principles" functions as a noun phrase indicating a state of consensus or shared understanding. It is commonly used to describe a situation where individuals or groups have reached an agreement on fundamental beliefs or guidelines.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "agreed on principles" signifies a shared understanding or consensus on fundamental guidelines. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently used across various reputable sources, including news outlets, scientific publications, and business documents. While the phrase is generally neutral to professional, it's essential to define clearly or reference the specific principles being agreed upon to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "reached a consensus on guidelines" or "shared values" can be used depending on the specific context. The frequency of the expression is uncommon and occurs mostly in "News & Media" and "Science".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reached a consensus on guidelines

Focuses on the act of reaching an agreement on specific guidelines, implying a more detailed level of understanding than "agreed on principles".

reached an accord on key concepts

Highlights the achievement of an agreement on essential concepts, rather than general principles.

settled upon fundamental tenets

Replaces "principles" with "tenets", emphasizing the foundational nature of the agreement and uses the verb 'settled upon' for more formal tone.

concurred on core beliefs

Emphasizes the alignment of beliefs as the basis for the agreement.

aligned on foundational understandings

Emphasizes the alignment of understandings that serve as a foundation.

approved shared standards

Replaces "principles" with "standards" and "agreed" with "approved" indicating a formal acceptance of common benchmarks.

established shared values

Shifts the focus to the underlying values that are agreed upon, rather than just the principles themselves.

united on fundamental doctrines

Uses "doctrines" to suggest a more formal or structured set of principles, and "united" to highlight the collective agreement.

found common ground on basic precepts

Focuses on finding a shared foundation of precepts or rules.

embraced common ideals

Focuses on the acceptance and adoption of shared ideals.

FAQs

How can I use "agreed on principles" in a sentence?

You can use "agreed on principles" to indicate a consensus or mutual understanding regarding fundamental guidelines. For example, "The team members all "agreed on principles" before starting the project".

What is a synonym for "agreed on principles"?

Synonyms for "agreed on principles" include phrases like "consensus on principles", "shared values", or "common understanding".

What does it mean to say something was "agreed on in principle"?

Saying something was "agreed on in principle" means there's a general agreement, but the specific details or implementation haven't been fully worked out yet. It's a preliminary agreement.

What's the difference between "agreed on principles" and "agreed on terms"?

"Agreed on principles" refers to a shared understanding of fundamental beliefs or guidelines, while "agreed on terms" usually involves specific conditions or provisions within an agreement or contract. Principles are broader, while terms are more specific.