1
as in initial
coming before all others in time or order
the much-studied first—and last—voyage of the Titanic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in main
coming before all others in importance
there are a number of reasons we can't go, but the first is that we don't have the money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in foremost
highest in rank or authority
auditioned and got first clarinet in the band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in instead
as a substitute
eat peas? I'd eat cockroaches first
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in rather
by choice or preference
we will not give in, but will fight for our freedom first
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of first
Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
This is not the first time the council has approved increasing ticket prices.
—Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Instead of aiming for Pinterest perfection, focus first on storing things to be accessible and tailored to your lifestyle.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for first
Adjective
Estévez, 32, has shined in his first season with the Royals.
—Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
This is not the first time the council has approved increasing ticket prices.
—Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Adverb
Daniel Dubois 2 Usyk (23-0 with 14 knockouts) and Dubois (22-2 with 21 KOs) first faced off in August 2023.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Instead of aiming for Pinterest perfection, focus first on storing things to be accessible and tailored to your lifestyle.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for first
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first
Adjective
-
That's because the initial yield of NASA's Kepler space telescope, which discovered nearly 3,000 planets in its nine years of operation, relied on worlds transiting — passing between their star and Earth.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
15 July 2025
-
But xAI’s Grok took a very different route in the initial rounds of testing.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria state police, federal police and Australia's main domestic spy agency, said the fire was likely a politically motivated attack.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
6 July 2025
-
These tickets have to be redeemed at the Florida Lottery main office in Tallahassee or one of the district offices.—
David J. Neal
July 6,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
First launched in 1985, FIBO has become one of the earth’s foremost fitness and wellness-focused trade shows, with roughly 130,000 participants set to convene in Cologne, Germany in April 2026.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Ziegler, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history and law of reproductive rights in the U.S., draws on decades of scholarship.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
Adverb
-
These behaviors are not explicitly programmed but instead emerge as a result of the model’s interaction with the reinforcement learning environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 July 2025
-
While most houses of this era were a chaotic collection of rooms and meandering hallways, the Robie House (and most of Wright’s homes) instead has an open floor plan—a revolutionary design choice at the time.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
With a net elevation decrease of just over 1,310 m (about 4,300 ft) throughout the drive, the EV most certainly benefited from regenerative braking, a rather useful feature that turns downhill momentum back into battery power.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 July 2025
-
The roles aren't based on age, but rather discipline.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Technology, sustainability and the power of human connection were at the center of a lively debate on the future of travel at Newsweek's inaugural New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit last week.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
-
The banner’s inaugural project, Magic City: An American Fantasy, will debut on Starz.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
But the chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management sees Apple’s multiple as the biggest issue.—
Siena Griffin,
CNBC,
7 July 2025
-
Stephanie Martz, the NRF’s chief administrative officer and general counsel, said the lawsuit infringes on retailers’ rights.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
Automate Early Contributions To Maximize Long-Term Growth The most important strategy for saving for children's college funds is to set up an automatic savings plan as soon as possible, preferably when they're born so that funds are automatically deposited into an investment account.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Again, that’s why the film isn’t explicit – teenagers can see it, preferably with their parents.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“First.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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