Synonyms

first thing

Idioms

Before anything else; without delay. For example, Tom was supposed to call him first thing in the morning. [Late 1500s] Also see under first and foremost; first off.

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.

The first thing that strikes me is the darkness.

From BBC

The first thing that all photographers say is that you have to be patient to get the snap.

From BBC

Now 20 years old, Kaley told the court that looking at Instagram was "the first thing" she did when she woke up each day and that she continued "all day" until she went to sleep at night, leading to difficulties at school, at home and with her mental health.

From BBC

"The first thing you have to do as a goalkeeper is make saves," says Lammens.

From BBC

Triple-digit sales growth is the name of the game for CoreWeave, and that will be the first thing Wall Street analysts will look at when earnings are released.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023