first-degree
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the lowest or first in a series.
-
of or relating to the highest or most serious in a series.
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 jury could find Clancy guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of lesser charges, or not guilty.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said authorities arrested Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old Spokane resident, on a first-degree arson charge related to one of three major fires burning in the eastern Washington area.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
That includes all first-degree relatives, like a parent or a sibling, according to the current guidelines.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Atkins was convicted on dozens of lesser counts Tuesday afternoon, but jurors acquitted him of first-degree murder, according to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
But this set was probably from the first-degree hot chocolate burns.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
