first and foremost

Idioms  

1. Also, first of all. Most important, primarily; also, to begin with. For example, First and foremost, I want to thank our sponsors, or What we need, first and foremost, is a new secretary, or We have to deal, first of all, with the early history. The first term, dating from the late 1300s, is redundant, since first and foremost mean virtually the same thing. Both it and the variant, which dates from the mid-1500s, are used to give emphasis to the initial item in a list of several. Also see first off; first thing.

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Example Sentences

First and foremost, congratulations on 40 years of marriage!

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

First and foremost, Savannah Guthrie is famous in this subliminal, monocultural way that is unique to celebrities who host network morning shows.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

First and foremost, we have to focus on the things that we can control.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

"First and foremost, as a soap fan, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these two worlds collide," Macleod continues.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

First and foremost, Dr. King insisted that his listeners protest the unfair separateness with love and nonviolence.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

• basically
• chiefly
• generally
• importantly
• largely
• mostly
• notably
• particularly
• predominantly