Definitions

first and foremost

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mainly adv.
primarily adv.
principally adv.

ADVERB

mainly

Synonyms

STRONG

chiefly primarily principally

WEAK

above all essentially generally in general in the main largely most of all mostly on the whole overall predominantly substantially to the greatest extent usually

Antonyms

STRONG

secondarily

ADVERB

primarily

Synonyms

WEAK

at first at the start from the start in the first place initially originally primitively

Antonyms

WEAK

finally secondarily

ADVERB

principally

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basically chiefly generally importantly largely mostly notably particularly predominantly

STRONG

primarily

WEAK

above all before anything else cardinally dominantly eminently especially essentially first of all 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

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first and foremost

The first and foremost principle was to have fun over the conventional race to the top.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Yet it remains, first and foremost, a military tool.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Yeah, to me, first and foremost, if you’re going to another country, you gotta respect that country’s rules and regulations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

"For our students, the Fitzroy is first and foremost their home water," says Phillip Moulds, headmaster of The Rockhampton Grammar School.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

I was first and foremost an African nationalist fighting for our emancipation from minority rule and the right to control our own destiny.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

first and foremost

Example Sentences

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Related Words