1
as in initial
coming before all others in time or order
the much-studied first—and last—voyage of the Titanic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in main
coming before all others in importance
there are a number of reasons we can't go, but the first is that we don't have the money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in foremost
highest in rank or authority
auditioned and got first clarinet in the band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in instead
as a substitute
eat peas? I'd eat cockroaches first
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in rather
by choice or preference
we will not give in, but will fight for our freedom first
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of first
Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Made to mark the 25th anniversary, in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this powerful three-part series brings those individuals back together, many for the first time since that day.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
The couple first posed for snaps and held hands publicly at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 34th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 15.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for first
Adjective
Tens of thousands of fans awaited excitedly outside the landmark Tokyo stadium to watch BTS in their first concert outside South Korea after the K-pop megastars kicked off their world tour.
—Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Made to mark the 25th anniversary, in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this powerful three-part series brings those individuals back together, many for the first time since that day.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Long journey and power output expectations The turbine was first fully assembled at Tieshan Port in Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
The couple first posed for snaps and held hands publicly at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 34th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 15.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for first
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first
Adjective
-
An initial round of peace talks was held in the capital of Islamabad last month.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The bill also retains its enforcement division capable of making arrests, despite initial DFL reservations.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The deep main compartment is large enough to fit even straw hats and nicer shoes without squishing them, and this trunk looks equally right in an airport or the lobby of the Carlyle Hotel, Mom’s favorite.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
-
The former senator is another big Democratic recruiting win and is a main reason why this state is a Toss-Up.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
That nickname cemented itself in the 1990s, when the team became one of baseball’s foremost powers, winning the division title year after year, reaching the World Series five times and winning in 1995, and producing five Hall of Fame players.—
Andrew Kirell,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
His melding of blues, country, and gospel music placed him among the foremost pioneers of rockabilly and ultimately defined the genre of rock and roll.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 May 2026
Adverb
-
Unlike in their losses in Games 5 and 6, the Celtics weren’t as quick to fire up 3s, instead opting to attack the interior of the 76ers defense more to get easier looks.—
Kyle Hightower,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
Duffy instead blamed the Biden Administration and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for Spirit’s closure after the Justice Department sued to block a 2023 potential merger between it and larger competitor JetBlue.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
2 May 2026
Adverb
-
Or, if you'd rather be cocooned in greenery than gazing at the Pacific, one of the two treehouse-style suites nestled in the property's garden is a dreamy alternative.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
-
Most of the residents aren't from the DMV area, but rather Georgia, Arizona and California, according to The New York Times.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The 26-year-old San Diego native previously joined SDFC as a Stage 1 selection in the 2024 MLS re-entry draft and was part of the club’s inaugural-season roster last year.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The inaugural Rock Star Mom honoree was Giselli Veloz, senior program manager at LIFT-NY.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Also in attendance were NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Beauty as chief financial officer at just 35, Mandy Fields knows a little something about defying limits.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“First.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
