at the first sign
idiom
: as soon as something happens that indicates an action or event has begun to take place
The bartender called the police at the first sign of trouble.
At the first sign of spring she planted annuals in her flower beds.
Examples of at the first sign in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Elsewhere, hungry civilians desperately climb over each other at the first sign of aid – exposing themselves to potential danger.
—
Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
Bébé, who still saw herself as her daughter’s guardian, appeared at the first sign of sickness.
—Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
The antigen tests used to detect COVID need a certain viral load to accurately assess whether or not someone is infected with the virus, which makes immediate testing at the first sign of symptoms a possible issue.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 13 Oct. 2023
Think of it as training to recognize why a worm can isn’t a threat, but re-litigating your boundaries, at the first sign of outside pressure and knowingly at others’ expense, is.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024
Cassowary Survival Instincts In a hypothetical scenario where an emu invades a cassowary's territory, the emu is more likely to retreat at the first sign of danger, especially when protecting its chicks.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
The government, in response, told doctors to cease using the fluids at the first sign of infection.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2024
And second, how management needs to respond at the first sign of trouble.
—Cassandra Frangos, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
This could include calling 911 at the first sign of an emotional outburst.
—Debra Manzella, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2023
Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
Bébé, who still saw herself as her daughter’s guardian, appeared at the first sign of sickness.
—Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
The antigen tests used to detect COVID need a certain viral load to accurately assess whether or not someone is infected with the virus, which makes immediate testing at the first sign of symptoms a possible issue.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 13 Oct. 2023
Think of it as training to recognize why a worm can isn’t a threat, but re-litigating your boundaries, at the first sign of outside pressure and knowingly at others’ expense, is.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024
Cassowary Survival Instincts In a hypothetical scenario where an emu invades a cassowary's territory, the emu is more likely to retreat at the first sign of danger, especially when protecting its chicks.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
The government, in response, told doctors to cease using the fluids at the first sign of infection.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2024
And second, how management needs to respond at the first sign of trouble.
—Cassandra Frangos, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
This could include calling 911 at the first sign of an emotional outburst.
—Debra Manzella, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'at the first sign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near at the first sign
Cite this Entry
“At the first sign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20first%20sign. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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