at first

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.

He put it to the court that those injuries were not as "significant" as at first thought.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Mejia, who is running for reelection as city controller, said he showed up at a polling place and was at first told he had to register to vote.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

So at first, the idea centered on unusual pairings at U.S. food festivals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

I asked Schenck whether his gradual shift, seeing Suozzi as more conservative than he did at first, might have been due to C Street’s influence.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

He didn’t hear anything at first, so he walked down the hallway to the kitchen.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness