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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.

How did the government get itself into this mess in the first place?

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

The company made headlines this week for plucking downed pilots out of peril, but its larger goal is to keep servicemembers out of harm’s way in the first place.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Maybe, just maybe, the selling pressure due to SpaceX’s capital raise is over—if it were ever a thing in the first place.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Aid returning to Ituri with Ebola-specific funding would be more effective if public health aid simply hadn’t left in the first place.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Or maybe he’s wondering why he became a middle school principal in the first place.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

in the first place

Example Sentences

Related Words