in principle

The phrase "in principle" often signifies agreement with an idea or concept on a theoretical level, without delving into practical details.

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Definition

(common)Agreed upon as a general idea, without consideration of specifics.

They agreed to the proposal in principle, but the details need to be worked out.

(academic, formal)Referring to something that is theoretically possible, even if not yet realized in practice.

In principle, the new policy should improve efficiency, but its real-world application remains to be seen.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "in principle":