first-string

adjective

ˈfərs(t)-ˈstriŋ How to pronounce first-string (audio)
Synonyms of first-stringnext
1
: being a regular as distinguished from a substitute (as on a team)
2
: first-rate
first-stringer
ˈfərs(t)-ˈstriŋ-ər How to pronounce first-string (audio)
noun

Synonyms of first-string

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of first-string in a Sentence

a first-string rendition of the musical piece
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Perkins has worked with the second-team defense and saw a snap with the first-string unit as well, aligning over the center’s right shoulder in a pass-rushing look. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 20 June 2026 Tustin’s first-string defense was just as overwhelming, holding the Vanguards to negative-16 yards in the first half while the offense built a 48-0 lead. — Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025 With Hollins and Boutte absent and Brown still on the Eagles, Doubs, Williams, Chism and Douglas received most of the first-string work at wide receiver. — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026 After years of learning the techniques of a long snapper, Olson earned a first-string spot at the position for Orange Lutheran and joined the Trojans in 2015 as a walk-on player. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first-string

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of first-string was in 1892

Rhymes for first-string

See All Rhymes for first-string

Browse Nearby Words

first strike
first-string
first thing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“First-string.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first-string. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All