in the first place

Definitions

Used to indicate the original reason or starting point for a situation.

Used to emphasize that something should or should not have happened from the very beginning.

Examples

I should never have agreed to this project in the first place.

Why did you even invite him to the party in the first place?

Synonyms

to begin with initially for a start firstly to start with

Antonyms

finally in the end lastly ultimately at the conclusion