first principles
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ilyse Hogue: I go back to first principles on a lot of the projects that I work on.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
At the beginning of the 20th century, a new set of first principles of government was introduced into the American mainstream.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
But sometimes the most important work is simply clearing the debris, removing the judicial inventions that cloud the text, and returning to first principles.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2025
Effective policymaking demands respect for different views and acknowledging that well-meaning people can disagree on first principles.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2024
Our first principles told us that Pauling could not be the greatest of all chemists without realizing that DNA was the most golden of all molecules.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
