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
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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
ABC News, 11 May 2026
The outbreak was first reported on May 7.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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
Nori was first tagged in Nova Scotia in October of last year, and had since traveled south to the coast of the Carolinas for the winter before making its move north this spring.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
The outbreak was first reported on May 7.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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
-
One of the book’s main themes is that trauma and damage, like red hair or skill with animals, can be handed down from one generation to the next.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Two smaller structures rise to six floors each, alongside the 20-story main tower.—
Adam Williams
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 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
-
With Snell set to go as many as five innings in what was expected to be his final minor league rehab start, the Dodgers elected to have the two-time Cy Young Award winner do the work on the Dodger Stadium mound instead and the rust was evident.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
-
Lee instead pivots to a 2023 bribery scandal that has nothing to do with the engineering, fire codes or testing protocols that govern these facilities.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 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 12 May. 2026.
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