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Definitions

first of all

ADVERB
first off
Synonyms
WEAK
first thing firstly foremost immediately in the first place primo up front
ADVERB
principally
Synonyms
STRONGEST
basically chiefly first and foremost generally importantly largely mostly notably particularly predominantly
STRONG
primarily
WEAK
above all before anything else cardinally dominantly eminently especially essentially for the most part fundamentally in the first place in the main materially peculiarly preeminently prevailingly prevalently substantially superlatively supremely to a great degree universally vitally
Antonyms
WEAK
secondarily trivially

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.

"Just first of all, I would say, Europe is still a very good place to live in," said Martin.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

You have to, first of all, for PR purposes, make everybody think they’re going to be accountable for everything going forward.

From Slate • Feb. 17, 2026

It is, first of all, of aftermarket proportions—about the size of a country ham.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

I was in doubt first of all, because I was happy.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

Everybody looked at him, at first in shock, and then once he was seen to have suffered no harm it was Mama, first of all, who started to laugh.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich