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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

Martin, a redshirt sophomore, took first-string snaps in practice, every repetition coveted by a player who has thrown all of five passes in college.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2024

At the end of Week 15, 18 teams had started quarterbacks who weren’t their first-string passers on opening day; 56 different quarterbacks have started an NFL game this season.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 19, 2023

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

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023

So much so that, just as Dallas had done with its first-string goalie, Hakstol pulled Philipp Grubauer in favor of Martin Jones to start the third period.

From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2023

The players ran at full strength under the angry glaze of the lights, the first-string offense and defense going against so-called scout teams simulating the offense and defense of the coming week’s opponent.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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

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

Yet there was an unmistakable sense that the first string had arrived when Brokaw, Jennings and Rather took over.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 3, 2021

Coach Dave Clawson listed the freshman with the first string and Hinton as the backup, but coyly suggested this week that Hinton could play a role in other ways against No. 8 Notre Dame.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 19, 2018

This year nothing is keeping me off the first string.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli