foremost

1 of 2

adjective

fore·​most ˈfȯr-ˌmōst 

1

: first in a series or progression

Safety is their foremost concern.

2

: of first rank or position : preeminent

He is the foremost authority on the American Revolutionary period.

foremost

2 of 2

adverb

1

: in the first place

2

: most importantly

first and foremost

Synonyms of foremost

Adjective

• main
• greatest
• highest
• primary
• first
• predominant
• dominant
• big
• leading
• chief

Examples of foremost in a Sentence

Adjective

Albert Einstein is regarded by many as the foremost figure of the 20th century.

wanted to speak to the foremost supervisor in our department

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. — Chad Angle, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

This decision was made with the best interests of our students and families as the foremost priority, ensuring that Chartiers Valley students continue to receive safe, reliable, and consistent transportation to and from school. — Jessica Riley, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Adverb

This was, first and foremost, a market formed around premium assets — star-level players on attractive deals like Kyrou and Tkachuk, or players 25 or under with star-level potential like Byram, Nemec, Samoskevich and Eklund — and for the most part, those aren’t the wares the Canucks are hawking. — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Tangles is first and foremost the stuff of life, the stuff of many lives, especially people living through it personally with their families and who likely will shed a tear or two at this tender, heart-wrenching treatment of the effects of a very cruel disease on those closest to us. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Adverb

Middle English formest, from Old English, superlative of forma first; akin to Old High German fruma advantage, Old English fore fore

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing foremost

• first and foremost
• foremost/uppermost in someone's mind

Rhymes for foremost

• diagnosed
• easternmost
• innermost
• lowermost
• milepost
• northernmost
• outermost
• rearmost
• southernmost
• uppermost
• uttermost
• westernmost

Kids Definition

foremost

adjective

fore·​most

-ˌmōst

: first in time, place, or order : most important

foremost adverb