at first
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"They pulled us into a side room and showed us the scan. I wasn't really upset at first, I was really shocked," said Josh.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Some were quiet at first and struggled to put their experiences into words.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
His widow Rose took his place, at first temporarily.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
The lower house approved the bill at first reading in January but the Senate later amended it to target only the most harmful platforms, prompting concern in Brussels.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
What I believed, at first, was that there were things about this war that I did not understand, that were above my station and pay grade.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
