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• first-string
  first-string

  adjective

  composed of regular members, participants, etc. (distinguished from substitute).
• first string
  first string

  noun

  the top player of a team in an individual sport, such as squash

first-string

American  

[furst-string] / ˈfɜrstˈstrɪŋ /

adjective

1. composed of regular members, participants, etc. (distinguished from substitute).

   the first-string team.

2. foremost; main.

   the first-string critics.

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first string British  

noun

1. the top player of a team in an individual sport, such as squash

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adjective

1. being a regular member of a team rather than a substitute or reserve

2. being the top player of a team in an individual sport

3. of high rating; first-class

Other Word Forms

• first-stringer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of first-string

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

first-string first string

And this fall, he has been locked in a battle with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula, jockeying for first-string signal-caller duties at an SEC program coming off a 10-win season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025

Moreover, regardless of the score, the first-string players almost always remain on the field.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023

Tucker will wrap up spring practice Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium, where fans will watch a 15-period practice that will include first-string offensive players scrimmaging against the team’s top defense.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 14, 2023

Four cornerbacks appear to be vying for first-string duties opposite Smith-Wade.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 1, 2023

In college, the agent had been a first-string diver on the swimming team; he had almost qualified for the Olympics.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

By his mid-20s, Jones had signed a three-record deal with Decca Studios, sharing a label with The Rolling Stones and cutting his first string of hits.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025

Washington’s backups contributed to those numbers, but the first string wasn’t good.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 6, 2022

All signs point to Trubisky, who has taken the vast majority of snaps with the first string.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 18, 2022

Smythies says he was here in May 2019, when the first string of 60 Starlink satellites blazed across the sky.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 6, 2021

After the training camp, his coach said that he was second string and that when he starts learning the system, he will be first string.

From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky