Definitions

in the first place

ADVERB

chiefly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

especially essentially largely mostly predominantly principally

STRONG

mainly primarily

WEAK

above all in general in the main on the whole overall usually

Antonyms

WEAK

unimportantly

ADVERB

first

Synonyms

STRONGEST

initially originally

WEAK

ahead at the outset before all else beforehand to begin with to start with

Antonyms

WEAK

finally last

ADVERB

first off

Synonyms

WEAK

first of all first thing firstly foremost immediately primo up front

ADVERB

originally

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basically formerly

STRONG

primitively

WEAK

at first at the outset at the start by birth by origin first in the beginning incipiently primarily to begin with

Antonyms

WEAK

secondarily

ADVERB

primarily

Synonyms

WEAK

at first at the start first and foremost from the start initially originally primitively

Antonyms

WEAK

finally secondarily

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 first of all for the most part fundamentally 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.

Was the hope you carried home with you ever really possible in the first place?

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2026

Rather than trying to eliminate Tau entirely, future treatments might stop it from reaching healthy brain cells in the first place.

From Science Daily • Jun. 30, 2026

There will be no public username directory, and phone numbers will still be required in order to have a WhatsApp account in the first place.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

The legal process Congress created never begins, not because the claim has been heard and rejected, but because the government has prevented the statutory obligation to hear it from arising in the first place.

From Slate • Jun. 26, 2026

Maybe even prevent our dads from getting fired in the first place.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

in the first place

Example Sentences

Related Words