in the first place

idiom

1

—used at the end of a sentence to indicate what was true or what should have been done at the beginning of a situation

We should never have gone there in the first place.

I didn't care much for the job in the first place.

2

—used when listing the most important parts of something or the most important reasons for something

I'm not going to tell you because, in the first place, it's none of your business, and in the second place, you would tell everyone else.

Examples of in the first place in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As incredible as this example is, what’s equally noteworthy is the fact that there is an example to study in the first place. —Elizabeth Freedman, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024

Learn how to remove mold from your shower caulking (or replace it if necessary) and see how to prevent it from accumulating in the first place. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2024

This is perhaps how things got here in the first place. —Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 6 Sep. 2024

But why does The Perfect Couple open with a dance routine in the first place? —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2024