in the first place

phrase

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

Knowing what makes a brand recognizable in the first place and protecting that distinction will be crucial as creative tools continue to evolve. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

His 3-4 system was a beam of hope in a sea of darkness that was the 2-15 2023 season — one that saw the midseason firing of the coach who hired Evero in the first place, Frank Reich. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026

Studying these real-life zombies may help scientists understand not only how parasites manipulate their hosts, but also how normal behavior is generated and controlled in the first place. — Tara Deans, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026

Pretty disheartening and hard not to blame Google for forcing AI on all users/introducing the summaries in the first place! — Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for in the first place

• aromatase
• oligoclase
• plagioclase
• polymerase
• streptokinase
• triphosphatase
• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace