first and last
idiom
: at the most basic level : in all respects
This is first and last a matter of national security.
Examples of first and last in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
American flag that went up on STS-1 and STS-135 — the first and last space shuttle missions, in 1981 and 2011, respectively — and 2020's Demo-2, the first astronaut mission that SpaceX ever conducted.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The first and last play of the fourth quarter will forever remain on the highlight reel of Burlington’s Matty Gray.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
We are obsessed and Charlie is soaking up her first and last weeks as an only child.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Most of the women will be allowed to testify anonymously by using pseudonyms for their first and last names, Caproni ruled in another favorable order for the government.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
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Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The first and last play of the fourth quarter will forever remain on the highlight reel of Burlington’s Matty Gray.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
We are obsessed and Charlie is soaking up her first and last weeks as an only child.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Most of the women will be allowed to testify anonymously by using pseudonyms for their first and last names, Caproni ruled in another favorable order for the government.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for first and last
Cite this Entry
“First and last.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20and%20last. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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