in the first place

idiom

1

—used at the end of a sentence to indicate what was true or what should have been done at the beginning of a situation

We should never have gone there in the first place.

I didn't care much for the job in the first place.

2

—used when listing the most important parts of something or the most important reasons for something

I'm not going to tell you because, in the first place, it's none of your business, and in the second place, you would tell everyone else.

Examples of in the first place in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What's more, the dire economic and political conditions in countries such as Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba that drove migrants to leave in the first place remain unchanged, migration experts say. —Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025

The Canadian musician had agonized over writing the song in the first place. —NPR, 6 Nov. 2025

Although listeria infections in pregnant women can be treated and risks to fetuses can be reduced —especially if the infections are caught and treated early—the best way to protect yourself and your family is to prevent listeria infections in the first place. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 5 Nov. 2025

Still, humans have done more damage by deliberately planting the honeysuckle in the first place, some say. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for in the first place

• aromatase
• hydrogenase
• nitrogenase
• oligoclase
• oxygenase
• plagioclase
• polymerase
• streptokinase
• triphosphatase
• abase
• airspace
• apace