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
The Council’s two dozen members are widely considered the world’s foremost authorities on whisky. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Benedict Arnold, the patriot hero who defected to the British in the midst of the Revolutionary War, is remembered as the foremost fiend of his time: His name is practically synonymous with treason. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Craig Dunaway, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Yet, for as long as deep realism remains the foremost priority, constructed languages are bound to strand not just imagined worlds but the foreigners within them, untethering them from the realities they are supposed to mirror and critique. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2024 Al Thani said that Qatar would support the Palestinian people permanently and that the foremost right of Palestinians is to establish their independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital, the Qatar News Agency reported. NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 Renowned for his consistent presence among the top spots on the weekly list of Billboard Arabia’s Artist 100, Ahmed Saad stands as one of the foremost Arabic pop stars across the Middle East. Hala Mustafa, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024 Crystal Cove State Park is one of Laguna’s big draws, perhaps foremost for its four tide pool areas. Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2024 Guillemin was one of the world’s foremost experts on the endocrine system, which controls the body’s hormones. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2024
Adverb
This all remains to be seen, but today marks a significant development for LED display tech as manufacturers continue to push the limits in an attempt to literally outshine rival OLED TVs that trade on their perfect black levels foremost. Condé Nast, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2024 For Bridle, our era is defined foremost by the utopian promise of the Internet and the subsequent disappointment. Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2023 The features, however foremost designed for the disabled population, has the potential to benefit literally everyone. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 The reputation of the world’s foremost Irish dry stout turned recordkeeper was on the line here. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 2 Dec. 2023 Moments of meaningful progress The modest but significant deals struck by Messrs. Xi and Biden focus on reducing risk and restoring key channels – with military contacts foremost among these. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov. 2023 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

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 18 Mar. 2024.

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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