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

People often make purchases without ever intending to shop in the first place. —Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025

Her experience as a dark-skinned South Sudanese woman inspired her influencing journey in the first place. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 19 June 2025

Yet, there is limited evidence on how to prevent it in the first place. —New Atlas, 18 June 2025

To keep them from being a problem indoors in the first place, hang sticky traps in the garage near entrances to your home. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 June 2025

Rhymes for in the first place

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