first come, first served
idiom
variants
or first come, first serve
—used to say that the people who arrive earliest get served or treated before the people who arrive later
The campsites are first come, first served, so we'd better get there early.
The campsites are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis.
"Aren't there any cookies left?" "Sorry—first come, first served."
Examples of first come, first served in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The event is first come, first served, with admission granted until the venue reaches capacity.
—
Pitchfork, 1 Mar. 2025
Pets are available first come, first served and will have been spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2025
Permits are sold online only — first come, first served — through recreation.gov.
—John Meyer, The Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2025
Free Groceries: 9 a.m., Ramona Food & Clothes Closet parking lot, 773 Main St. Open to 18 years or older, first come, first served, 20 to 25 pounds of fresh produce and staples per family.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first come, first served
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Pitchfork, 1 Mar. 2025
Pets are available first come, first served and will have been spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2025
Permits are sold online only — first come, first served — through recreation.gov.
—John Meyer, The Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2025
Free Groceries: 9 a.m., Ramona Food & Clothes Closet parking lot, 773 Main St. Open to 18 years or older, first come, first served, 20 to 25 pounds of fresh produce and staples per family.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first come, first served
Cite this Entry
“First come, first served.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20come%2C%20first%20served. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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