foremost

1 of 2

adjective

fore·​most ˈfȯr-ˌmōst How to pronounce foremost (audio)
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 Civil War period.

foremost

2 of 2

adverb

1
: in the first place
2
: most importantly
first and foremost

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. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 The exchange enshrined Brand as perhaps the nation’s foremost lefty. Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 Anyone who purchases this book will be enraptured and inspired by Lowe’s ambition to become one of the world’s foremost seamstresses during a period of overt racial discrimination, segregation, and sexism. Candace Smith, Essence, 13 Nov. 2023 Out of Place By Edward W. Said In sharp and lyrical terms, one of the foremost anticolonialist scholars of the 20th century describes how his upbringing as a Palestinian Christian in Egypt, Lebanon and historic Palestine sowed the seeds of his intellectual work. Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2023 Gigs with a French-Canadian tile setter and a cabinet maker in Northwest Pennsylvania followed until McAteer found his way to Hudson and sought work with one of its foremost antiques restorers. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2023 The foremost segment corresponds with the first week of winter; the tail-end segment corresponds with the last. Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Oct. 2023 Nick Bloom, the foremost scholar on hybrid and remote work, recently published two studies that explain why many companies have reneged on flexible work policies and demonstrate the failure of managers to correctly assess the performance of hybrid and remote workers. Bygleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023 He is also known as one of world cinema’s foremost stylists, with many films displaying precise lighting and color in lengthy shots with static or extremely slow-moving camerawork. Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 Oct. 2023
Adverb
How To Remove Polish From Clothing With Acetone First and foremost, see if the fabric contains acetate, triacetate, or modacrylic. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 The Story of Cerberus and Heracles The legend of Heracles and Cerberus is foremost a story about triumphing natural order, Meineck says. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2023 But at its core, Wondery is focused on creating content that is successful foremost as a podcast. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 25 Oct. 2023 Perhaps foremost among the world-class amenities Red Ledges members enjoy is the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 June 2023 Shutterstock/Robert Crum There are exceptions to functionality coming foremost. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2023 Keep that activity foremost in mind when shopping because thermal underwear varies widely in material and construction. Field & Stream Commerce Team, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023 Read More: Why Protecting Taiwan Really Matters to the U.S. First and foremost, the U.S. must act to incentivize European nations to take the lead in supporting Ukraine. Time, 14 July 2023 Fast and foremost, the top of the first inning Wednesday still felt like the top of the morning one week into a new baseball era. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foremost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of foremost was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near foremost

Cite this Entry

“Foremost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foremost. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

foremost

adjective
fore·​most
-ˌmōst
: first in time, place, or order : most important
foremost adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on foremost

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