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.
I came back to Turkey from abroad in the first place.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
She showed her son, who had been so involved in helping her find the artist in the first place, and his eyes lit up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
But for some Life Surge customers, Tebow’s relationship with the company was part of the reason they trusted it in the first place.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
Others feel this is an overreaction - distracting from how difficult it is to secure a job - or even just get an interview in the first place.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Such a module should have never been built in the first place, in my opinion.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
