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.

It was once the job of “sleazy” tabloids to destroy lives with lurid gossip that titillated the public but lacked public interest in the high-minded sense.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

I want to be very high-minded about this.

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2025

That’s not some high-minded ideal — it should be the bare minimum.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2025

For generations of attorneys, he has personified courage against long odds and the high-minded practice of law in service of social good.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2024

I was so afraid she was going to get high-minded on me again.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

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