at the first sign
idiom
: as soon as something happens that indicates an action or event has begun to take place
The bartender called the police at the first sign of trouble.
At the first sign of spring she planted annuals in her flower beds.
Examples of at the first sign in a Sentence
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Now, Guerrero is slated to reach the open market at season’s end, though he will now be subjected to trade rumors that will only grow in intensity at the first sign of struggle for the team.
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Marc Carig, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Investors, understandably so, remain cautious and exit their positions at the first sign of trouble, which explains August’s historic surge in volatility - one of the Volatility Index’s (VIX) most violent ones in its 30-year history - which lasted for a mere three days.
—Ken Berman, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Owners should visit a veterinarian at the first sign of hypothermia or frostbite.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2025
However, many experts say, there’s been an overcorrection: The impulse to isolate and cut people off at the first sign of conflict can actually be detrimental to mental and social health.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025
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Marc Carig, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Investors, understandably so, remain cautious and exit their positions at the first sign of trouble, which explains August’s historic surge in volatility - one of the Volatility Index’s (VIX) most violent ones in its 30-year history - which lasted for a mere three days.
—Ken Berman, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Owners should visit a veterinarian at the first sign of hypothermia or frostbite.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2025
However, many experts say, there’s been an overcorrection: The impulse to isolate and cut people off at the first sign of conflict can actually be detrimental to mental and social health.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the first sign
Cite this Entry
“At the first sign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20first%20sign. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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