high-minded

American

[hahy-mahyn-did] / ˈhaɪˈmaɪn dɪd /

adjective

having or showing high, exalted principles or feelings.

Synonyms:

scrupulous, idealistic, ethical, fair, honest, principled

high-minded British

adjective

having or characterized by high moral principles
archaic arrogant; haughty

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See noble.

Other Word Forms

high-mindedly adverb
high-mindedness noun

Etymology

Origin of high-minded

First recorded in 1495–1505

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.

Chesterton was raised in a high-minded Unitarianism whose morals he approved but whose understanding of God he found too thin to support the changes that he, as a man of the left, wanted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

I want to be very high-minded about this.

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2025

It threatens to drown out their own more high-minded projects.

From BBC • Oct. 11, 2025

I gave a high-minded, bag-of-wind answer of support.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2025

“It’s my birthday and I’m in a good mood. But someday you’ll be old too.Your body will start to fall apart and your brain will deteriorate. See if you’re so high-minded then.”

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023