How to Use first thing in a Sentence

first thing

idiom
Definition of first thingnext
  • The first thing is to be sober, sober-minded, in the wake of these tragedies.
    — Adriana Usero, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2023
  • The first thing Hank looked for is a steadiness of the studio.
    — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 28 June 2023
  • And the first thing Paulina’s lawyer told her to do was open a case in court.
    — The Foretold Team, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2023
  • Vaughn’s height is the first thing many people will see.
    — Joseph Hoyt, Dallas News, 20 Apr. 2023
  • Get there first thing in the morning when the lake is quiet.
    — Laura Hampson, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Feb. 2024
  • Some boys read it first thing in the morning, others saved it for the night.
    — Joyce Carol Oates, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
  • The first thing that occurred to us was to buy him some sneakers.
    — Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 June 2023
  • Tennesee’s defense is the first thing that jumps out to me for this game.
    — Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2023
  • Who doesn’t love a good story first thing in the morning?
    — The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2023
  • The first thing to know is that Shay has a partnership with Openfit and swears by the app.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, Women's Health, 31 May 2023
  • These flowers open first thing on a new day, so they’re called day’s eyes.
    — Jenny Comita, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
  • But that’s the first thing: Healthy can look different.
    — Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 20 Apr. 2023
  • But the first thing that entered my mind was Emmett Till.
    — Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2023
  • With the gun out for testing, the first thing Parrish wanted to see was the van in which Tiffiney was shot.
    — Judy Rybak, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2023
  • Of course, the first thing a guide or host wants to know is his client's proficiency.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 10 June 2023
  • The first thing to note is that Khan was arrested by the Pakistan Rangers rather than the police.
    — Ayesha Jalal, Fortune, 10 May 2023
  • To minimize the risk, travel first thing in the morning.
    — Catherine Garcia, The Week, 1 July 2023
  • When thinking about British royal wealth, the first thing that comes to mind might be all the palaces and jewel-laden crowns.
    — Mary Jordan, Washington Post, 5 May 2023
  • Add in the simple day-to-day stressors of life, and your motivation is often the first thing to go.
    — Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2023
  • Typically, wood ducks fly down creeks, or to swamps or beaver ponds first thing in the morning.
    — Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The next day, Baerg’s manager met him first thing and told him he was suspended for four days.
    — Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2023
  • As for her day-to-day routine, the actress rises early and likes to hydrate first thing.
    — Korin Miller, Women's Health, 13 July 2023
  • Pro tip: to avoid crowds at The Narrows, don’t go first thing in the morning, rather early afternoon.
    — James Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The loud dawn chorus kicks off around 4:30 a.m., and my wife has taken to putting in earplugs first thing in the morning to get another hour of sleep.
    — John Kelly, Washington Post, 19 June 2023
  • Calls to London always happen first thing in the morning.
    — Zackary Drucker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
  • The first thing people will probably notice in the ad is a photo of a burning cop car.
    — Matt Novak, Forbes, 3 May 2023
  • Pack one to wear for sightseeing first thing in the morning or for sunset cocktails on a windy beach.
    — Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2023
  • The first thing that catches the eye is a large waterfall at the stern, spilling over from the 23-foot-long main-deck infinity pool.
    — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 June 2023
  • This is especially true if the user does not take their Adrafinil dose first thing in the morning [13].
    — The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Well, first thing to know is that Alison loves to get her body moving outdoors.
    — Emily J. Shiffer, Women's Health, 30 Aug. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first thing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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