in the first place

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst pleɪs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə ˈfɜ˞st pleɪs/

  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic)

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst plæɪs/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

in the first place

1. (sequence, idiomatic) to begin with; earlier; firstly; originally; at the start,

   The question is not whether I still enjoy the job, when I never enjoyed it in the first place.

2. (idiomatic) at all, even (typically in non-negated statements)

   Why does this exist in the first place?

• (at the start): See also Thesaurus:initially
• (earlier):
• (first in sequence): See also Thesaurus:firstly

• above all
• first of all