in the first place - Definition & Meaning | Lingo Dictionary

in the first place

used to explain the main reason or starting point of a situationused to explain the main reason or starting point of a situation

Examples

I don't want to go in the first place, I'm tired, and secondly, I can't afford it.
Why hire him?In the first place, he's unqualified, and in the second, he's unreliable.
In the first place, the data is flawed, which invalidates the entire study.

Synonyms

in the first place most especially first and foremost most importantly above all

1 / 2

in the first place

1

used to explain the main reason or starting point of a situation

I don't want to go in the first place, I'm tired, and secondly, I can't afford it.
Why hire him?In the first place, he's unqualified, and in the second, he's unreliable.
In the first place, the data is flawed, which invalidates the entire study.
In the first place, we don't have enough funding for this project, and secondly, we're short-staffed.
In the first place, this project was poorly planned, so failure was inevitable.

Synonyms:

most especially first and foremost most importantly above all

2

at the original state, plan, or intention, especially when contrasting with later outcomes

I should never have agreed in the first place.
Why did I trust someone who lied to me in the first place?
We shouldn't have booked a non-refundable hotel in the first place.
Why did I bother arguing with someone who never listens in the first place?
I never should have lent him money in the first place.

Synonyms:

in the beginning initially at first to start with early on originally ab initio to begin with