AT FIRST Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

at first

phrase

Definition of at first

as in originally

in the beginning He was a bit skittish at first, but he's since gotten more comfortable around people.

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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.

Recent Examples of at first Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor apparently do not believe in love at first sight. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 If Perez needs additional time to recover, Nick Loftin and Josh Rojas can back up Jac Caglianone at first base. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 The river has risen again and again, and in 1993, the Mississippi did not go over the levee, at first, but under it, burrowing a tunnel like a prisoner seeking freedom. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 Habib Diarra’s early goal for Senegal and Rebin Sulaka’s 13th-minute dismissal for Iraq did not open the floodgates at first. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for at first

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“At first.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/at%20first. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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