as in excellent
of the very best kind
wanted a first-rate bike and not the cheap model she had been using
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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-rate
With the computer system down, an ominous countdown clock up, and chaos reigning at the Park in the middle of a terrorist crisis, Whelan is shown in the opening scene of the first-rate Slow Horses finale holding court from a couch, as if in his therapist’s office.
—
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Trading for a first-rate goalie isn’t easy in today’s NHL.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Now, the company is focused on transforming the platform into a first-rate writer.
—Mike Feibus, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Hendersonville also has a first-rate downtown with museums, shops, and restaurants to enliven a weekend trip.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first-rate
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Trading for a first-rate goalie isn’t easy in today’s NHL.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Now, the company is focused on transforming the platform into a first-rate writer.
—Mike Feibus, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Hendersonville also has a first-rate downtown with museums, shops, and restaurants to enliven a weekend trip.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first-rate
Adjective
-
The German is an excellent all-round forward who excels in bringing the best out of the teammates around him.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
While not every product in the brand’s SOS collection includes hypochlorous acid (an excellent anti-acneic ingredient), the serum does.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Among thrash metal’s Big Four, which includes Metallica, Megadeth Slayer, and Anthrax, Megadeth have always stood out for having superb instrumentalists throughout its career.—
Quentin Thane Singer,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
And somehow, all that wackiness has coalesced into a superb and consistently funny TV show, which made USA TODAY's list of the 10 best TV shows of 2025.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Special mention must be made of the in-room minibars, which are terrific, and so extensive that they are contained not within a single small fridge but an entire chest of drawers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Lenert made a terrific save on a solid strike by JSerra midfielder Carter Biondolillo, with Lenert diving to his left to make the crucial stop in the second half.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thank you all for a wonderful discussion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The team Pep Guardiola built in the early 2010s, combining the wonderful passing of Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta with the twinkling magic of Lionel Messi, will forever be remembered.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There are plenty of great restaurants, but alongside them disappointments.—
Kate Krader,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The video segments and special effects always played to the lyrics, strengthening storylines with images that moved between fantastical and rooted in reality.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Ella Maisy Purvis is fantastic as the sleuth.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Her signature red curls were piled atop her head into an updo secured with a lovely headband.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That insurance plays such a material role in shaping Simon’s dilemma is a lovely bit of mundanity.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Although a recent visit to Palo Alto’s Taverna was lackluster except for the awesome outdoor décor and cute waiters, its sister ship in Portola Valley is absolutely lovely, and the food more in line with expectation.—
Laura Ness,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The first stop on this retrospective journey is the Cold War, a time marked by scientific breakthroughs that were both awesome and terrifying.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“First-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first-rate. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
