first

[furst] / fɜrst /

ADJECTIVE

earliest in order

Synonyms

STRONGEST

early

STRONG

aboriginal antecedent anterior basic beginning cardinal front fundamental head inaugural initial key leading opening original pioneer premier primary prime primitive

WEAK

elementary first off headmost in the beginning inceptive incipient introductory lead off number one numero uno primeval primogenial primordial pristine right up front rudimentary

Antonyms

STRONGEST

last

STRONG

ending extra final following second

ADJECTIVE

highest in importance

Synonyms

STRONG

arch champion chief dominant foremost head leading main premier primary prime primo principal ranking ruling sovereign

WEAK

A number one advanced eminent first-class first-string greatest head of the line number one outstanding paramount predominant preeminent supreme top of the list top-flight

Antonyms

STRONG

auxiliary inessential inferior least minor secondary subordinate trivial unimportant unnecessary

ADVERB

at the beginning

Synonyms

STRONGEST

initially originally

WEAK

ahead at the outset before all else beforehand in the first place to begin with to start with

Antonyms

WEAK

finally last

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.

He has guided Villa to their first European final for 44 years, since they lifted the European Cup, and to the brink of ending a 30-year trophy drought.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

The decision marks the central bank’s first rate hike since April 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Samsung reported a roughly 750-percent jump in first-quarter operating profit year‑on‑year, while its market capitalisation topped $1 trillion for the first time in May.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Scientists have documented an extraordinary feat of whale migration for the first time, confirming that humpback whales traveled between breeding grounds in eastern Australia and Brazil across more than 14,000 kilometers of open ocean.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

She’d complimented my first shaky stitch and made me feel like I did belong here, no matter how long it took me to get through the forest path or how many verb charts I needed.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

first

Example Sentences

Related Words