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.

"It was simply the end of a long fight to recover money that CMS had no right to take in the first place."

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Many don’t like selling them in the first place because conventional gas vehicles mean much higher maintenance fees.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

It’s not always clear whether the SPV can buy the underlying stock in the first place or whether the private company would recognize the transaction underlying the ownership.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

It also highlighted the judicial philosophy that had gotten Gorsuch noticed for this big job in the first place.

From Slate • May 13, 2026

This was probably why the Afterlife was ready to get rid of him in the first place.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

in the first place

Example Sentences

Related Words