first base

noun

1

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

2

: the player position for defending the area around first base

3

: the first step or stage in a course of action

plans never got to first base

first baseman

-ˈbā-smən 

noun

Examples of first base in a Sentence

a runner on first base

She hit a ground ball to first base.

He used to be a catcher, but now he plays first base.

Recent Examples on the Web

Improvements in both regards would help his case this spring, especially with the Yankees standing to benefit from the addition of a right-handed bench bat, though that could also come at catcher or first base. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026

Marquess was a three-year starter at first base for Stanford from 1967-69, earning first-team All-American honors in 1967. —Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026

Jerar Encarnacion brings other aspects to the club, including supplying power and the ability to play first base. —Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026

The slugger will play first base. —Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first base

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Kids Definition

first base

noun

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

also : the position of the player defending the area around first base