first consideration

USAGE SUMMARY

"first consideration" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is used when discussing priorities or factors that are given the highest importance. For example: "Before making any decisions about our budget, cost will be our first consideration." "In choosing a new employee, their qualifications will be our first consideration." "The safety and well-being of our students is always our first consideration when planning school events."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The first consideration is size.

The New York Times

Adequate drainage must be your first consideration.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Our first consideration is safety, not cost.

The New York Times

On first consideration, this is an unremarkable conclusion.

The New York Times - Books

The first consideration is what kind of water you're on.

The New York Times

KNOW THE LAW The first consideration is the legal risk.

The New York Times

The first consideration is to use materials that are safe.

The New York Times

"Your first consideration is, 'Can you talk this through?

Independent

"The first consideration is always what's best for the individual gorilla," Lukas said.

The New Yorker

My first consideration has to be protection, to see there is no harm done.

The New York Times

But the first consideration in buying a crib should be safety, not looks.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "first consideration", clearly state what aspect or element is being prioritized. This ensures clarity and emphasizes its importance to the audience.

Common error

Avoid using "first consideration" without specifying why something is the primary concern. For example, instead of saying "Safety is the first consideration", specify "Safety is the first consideration to prevent potential accidents".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "first consideration" primarily functions as a noun phrase. It indicates the most important factor or aspect to be taken into account when making a decision, planning, or evaluating something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "first consideration" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is utilized to highlight the most important factor in a decision-making process or evaluation. Its neutral-to-professional register makes it appropriate for various contexts, including news articles, business reports, and academic papers. The phrase is most frequently found in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" contexts. Remember to specify why something is the primary concern to avoid vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primary concern

Focuses on worry or importance.

main priority

Emphasizes what is most important.

paramount importance

Stresses the superior importance.

key factor

Highlights an element that influences an outcome.

foremost aspect

Emphasizes the leading element.

overriding factor

Indicates a factor that takes precedence.

initial focus

Highlights where attention is initially directed.

chief element

Stresses the principal component.

starting point

Indicates the beginning of deliberation.

essential thing

Points out a fundamentally important matter.

FAQs

How can I use "first consideration" in a sentence?

You can use "first consideration" to highlight the most important factor in a decision or process. For example, "When planning the project, budget should be the "first consideration"".

What's a formal alternative to "first consideration"?

A more formal alternative would be "primary priority" or "paramount importance". However, ""first consideration"" is suitable for most contexts.

Is it better to say "first consideration" or "initial consideration"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but ""first consideration"" implies a stronger sense of priority than "initial consideration", which simply refers to the first thing to consider.

What's the difference between "first consideration" and "top priority"?

"First consideration" refers to the initial aspect to take into account, while "top priority" indicates the most crucial item that needs immediate attention. They are similar but emphasize different aspects of importance.