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

See Examples For:

first and foremost

“Hadestown” is a love story first and foremost, set in a joyous juke joint, the band ringing the stage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The bonds are investment grade, first and foremost, so the risk of issuers defaulting is relatively low.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

"We are first and foremost overcome with grief," said local resident Eli Zavala, who was helping with the burials.

From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026

"We can confirm that Carl Holland has sadly passed away, and our thoughts are, first and foremost, with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time."

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

This is not to say that it is not shaped by culture as well as evidence; but the culture which shapes it is, first and foremost, the culture of science itself.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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