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

That changes the nature of those devices and undermines the reason to buy an iPhone in the first place. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Why farmers add phosphorus in the first place Phosphorus is one of the three primary nutrients plants require for growth, along with nitrogen and potassium. —Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026

Part of the answer seems to be more brands willing to make early commitments that actually matter (and not just slapping logos on things) but investing in the media infrastructure that lets fans watch and follow women’s sports in the first place. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 26 Jan. 2026

Watching all of these intellectuals reconnect, spar about their legacies, and continue to debate the very ideas that brought them together in the first place is a treat for scholars and history buffs. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for in the first place

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