at first nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at first nothing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an initial state of emptiness or lack of action before something occurs or changes. Example: "At first nothing seemed to happen, but gradually, the situation began to evolve."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

At first, nothing happened.

The New York Times - Health

At first, nothing at all.

The Economist

At first nothing worked.

The New York Times - Arts

And at first nothing went right.

The New York Times

At first, nothing was done.

The New York Times

I plunged under and, at first, nothing.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

I did nothing at first, until nothing led to playing.

Huffington Post

AT FIRST glance, Vodafone has nothing to complain about.

The Economist

AT first glance, there is nothing remarkable about the house on Richmond Avenue.

The New York Times

There is at first glance nothing wrong with this picture.

The New York Times

It sounded outlandish at first, like nothing more than a thinly disguised bargaining chip.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at first nothing" to clearly indicate an initial state where no action or result is immediately apparent, setting the stage for a subsequent change or development.

Common error

Avoid using "at first nothing" when you actually mean that something consistently remains absent. This phrase implies a change from an initial state of inactivity to a later state of activity or result.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at first nothing" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a temporal sequence where an initial state of inaction or absence precedes a subsequent event or change. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at first nothing" is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to denote an initial state of inactivity or absence before a subsequent change. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage across diverse contexts such as news, science, and formal writing. It's essential to use this phrase when implying a transition from an initial lack of results to a later outcome, as opposed to indicating a constant absence. The phrase is versatile, with related alternatives including "initially nothing" and "in the beginning nothing", each offering subtle nuances in tone and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

initially nothing happened

Replaces the adverbial phrase with a more direct statement about the lack of initial activity.

at the start nothing

Uses "start" instead of "first", keeping the meaning almost identical.

at the beginning nothing

Substitutes "first" with "the beginning", slightly altering the emphasis but maintaining the core meaning.

in the beginning nothing

Similar to the previous phrase, but uses "in" instead of "at", providing a subtle shift in tone.

to begin with nothing

Offers a more conversational alternative, indicating an initial absence of something.

to start with nothing

Similar to "to begin with nothing", this phrase offers a conversational alternative for indicating an initial absence.

at the outset nothing

Replaces "first" with "outset", providing a slightly more formal tone.

initially all was quiet

Changes the structure to focus on quietness as the initial state, rather than the absence of something.

in the first instance nothing

A more formal and less common way of expressing the same idea.

at the dawning nothing

Uses a more poetic term, "dawning", to indicate the beginning, which can add a different flavor to the sentence.

FAQs

How can I use "at first nothing" in a sentence?

The phrase "at first nothing" is used to describe a situation where there is no initial sign or indication of something happening. For example, you might say, "At first nothing seemed to change, but then the situation began to evolve."

What phrases are similar to "at first nothing"?

Similar phrases include "initially nothing", "in the beginning nothing", or "to begin with nothing". These alternatives all convey the idea of an initial lack of activity or results.

Is it grammatically correct to say "at first nothing"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb and indicating when the absence of action or results occurred.

What's the difference between "at first nothing" and "nothing at all"?

"At first nothing" implies that a change or event occurred later, whereas "nothing at all" suggests a complete absence without necessarily implying a subsequent change. For example, "At first nothing happened, then the engine started" versus "I saw nothing at all in the distance."