recognize in principle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "recognize in principle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when acknowledging a concept or idea as valid or acceptable in a general sense, even if specific details may not be agreed upon. Example: "While we may not agree on all the details, we can recognize in principle the importance of environmental sustainability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Nevertheless, it may now be confidently said that the UK courts recognize, in principle, the doctrine of representative standing, and will apply it in suitable cases.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

While the declaration accepted this week by the more than 140 countries participating in the talks recognized in principle that the 1994 world treaty on intellectual property should be interpreted "to promote access to medicines for all," it did not give the most disadvantaged nations the tools to do so.

The New York Times

As an example, Iran should be informed that its right to enrich under the NPT will be recognized in principle so long as it agrees to suspend enrichment beyond 20percentt and allow a robust inspections regime to be put in place to reassure the international community that it will stick to its commitments.

Huffington Post

Although it has long been recognized in principle [ 4] that evidence for motifs can be enhanced by comparing sequences of common ancestry, 'phylogenetic footprinting' of higher eukaryotes is still in a development and evaluation phase [ 5- 8].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Neither the standard human subjects requirements nor IPR rules give adequate consideration to sovereignty or aboriginal rights, which is one of the reasons that inclusive declarations of indigenous rights have been published by the United Nations (2007) and are now recognized in principle by the world's major powers, including the United States.

Environmental Health Perspectives

In the field of environmental epidemiology, it is generally recognized that, in principle, an agent causes an adverse effect when some proportion of the disease burden is attributable to exposure to that agent.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Although three U.S. states have legalized online gambling since 2010, the principle recognized in UIGEA remains the same: The risk of corruption drops significantly when criminals have no hope of affecting particular performance aspects for multiple results over multiple games.

TechCrunch

"To classify a whole nation as economic migrants is not a principle recognized in international law," said Rados Djurovic, director of the Belgrade-based Asylum Protection Center.

Vice

Thus, a majority of the Justices in the Jones case clearly indicated an interest in considering how the principle recognized in Smith should apply in a very different technological society from the one that existed in the 1970s.

Huffington Post

We recognize, however, that in principle one could also attribute an off-target effect to those siRNA duplexes that do not lower Mad2 expression.

Chromosoma

These are well-established procedural principles of SD3 and by far the most cited SD procedural principles recognized in the NRM field (see for example Gregersen et al. 2007; Sawhney et al. 2007; Henriksen et al. 2009).

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "recognize in principle" when you want to acknowledge the general validity of an idea or concept, even if specific details or practical implementation are still under consideration. It's useful for indicating initial agreement without fully committing to all aspects.

Common error

Avoid using "recognize in principle" when you fully agree with all aspects of a proposal or plan. This phrase implies only initial or partial agreement, so using it when you're in complete accord can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "recognize in principle" functions as a verb phrase that indicates preliminary acceptance or acknowledgement of an idea or concept. Ludwig AI validates that the phrase is usable in written English. This implies an understanding that the idea has merit, even if the specifics require further consideration.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "recognize in principle" is a useful phrase for expressing preliminary acceptance of an idea or concept. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While it appears across diverse sources, it is most common in News & Media and Scientific contexts. It indicates a qualified agreement, allowing for further discussion or refinement of details. When using this phrase, be mindful of its implication of partial agreement, and avoid using it when full agreement is intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acknowledge in theory

Emphasizes acceptance of a concept as a theoretical possibility, but not necessarily in practice.

accept in concept

Highlights the acceptance of the fundamental idea, even if details are not finalized.

concede in theory

Suggests a reluctant agreement to a theoretical point.

admit in principle

Indicates an acknowledgement of a concept's validity, even with reservations.

generally acknowledge

Focuses on widespread recognition of something.

broadly accept

Highlights a general level of acceptance, without specific details.

theoretically accept

Emphasizes that the acceptance is limited to a theoretical context.

conceptually understand

Highlights comprehension of the idea rather than necessarily agreeing with it.

agree in essence

Focuses on agreement with the central idea, overlooking minor details.

recognize the validity

Acknowledges that something is well-founded or legitimate.

FAQs

How can I use "recognize in principle" in a sentence?

You can use "recognize in principle" to acknowledge initial acceptance of an idea, even if details need further discussion. For example, "We "recognize in principle" the need for budget cuts, but we need to examine the specifics carefully."

What is the difference between ""recognize in principle"" and "fully agree"?

"Recognize in principle" suggests a preliminary acceptance of a concept. "Fully agree" indicates complete and unconditional acceptance of all aspects.

What can I say instead of ""recognize in principle""?

You can use alternatives like "acknowledge in theory", "accept in concept", or "admit in principle" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "recognize in principal"?

No, the correct phrase is ""recognize in principle"", using the noun "principle" which refers to a fundamental truth or proposition. "Principal" is an adjective meaning main or most important, or a noun referring to a person in charge.