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

Advisors also warn that many trust assets could fall afoul of foreign-investment reporting rules issued in July, potentially inviting scrutiny from foreign-exchange authorities over how the money left China in the first place. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

For the Aspen Historical Society, the bridge is also a reminder of why the city exists in the first place. — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

If there is a goal of some kind, who generates the goal in the first place? — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

The first and surest line of defense against an oil shock is to use less oil in the first place. — Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for in the first place

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