in the first place
Idioms-
From the beginning, at the outset, before anything else. For example, Why didn't you tell me in the first place that you've decided to leave? or He could have bought a new one in the first place .
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As the first of several items in order of importance. This phrase is usually accompanied by in the second place, third place , and so on, as in I'm not joining the health club because, in the first place, I don't like their hours, and in the second place, I can't afford the dues . [First half of 1600s] Also see for one .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Standard Model of particle physics describes these different generations of particles, but it does not explain why nature has multiple generations in the first place.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
A professional can help you parse your options, and maybe even remind you both of what drew you to each other in the first place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Then I asked myself why I was playing Mitch-truther in the first place.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
The good news is that researchers are developing therapies that do what was once thought impossible: regenerate cartilage, boost the knee’s natural ability to heal, and prevent cartilage breakdown in the first place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Indeed, when Clara turned around again, the door had returned soundlessly, as if it had never been gone in the first place.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
