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Meaning & use

first option

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌfɜːst ˈɒpʃn/
US/ˌfɜːrst ˈɑːpʃn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    the choice you like best or the one you consider before any other

    Grammar: Usually used with 'the' or a possessive: the first option, my first option.

    Patterns

    • the first option
    • my/your/his first option
    • be someone's first option

    When we looked at houses, the one near the park was our first option.

    For dinner, my first option is always pasta.

    Staying home was my first option, but I decided to go out.

  2. nouncountable

    the first choice in a list or set of possibilities

    Grammar: Often used when presenting alternatives in order: the first option is..., the second option is...

    Patterns

    • the first option is ...
    • choose the first option
    • select the first option

    On the form, the first option is to pay by credit card.

    If you click the first option, the program will save your file.

    The first option on the menu was too expensive, so we chose the second.

Word forms

pluralfirst options

Common combinations

be someone's first option
That college was her first option, but she also applied to others.
the first option on the list
The first option on the list is usually the cheapest.
go with the first option
We didn't have much time, so we went with the first option.
consider the first option
Before you decide, consider the first option carefully.

Synonyms and how they differ

first choice
Similar, but 'first choice' often means the one you prefer most, while 'first option' can simply mean the one listed first.
top choice
Stronger than 'first option'; it suggests the best one, not just the first one you think of.
preference
More formal and general; it refers to the fact of liking one thing more, not the specific item itself.

Opposites

last optionlast resort

Word family

first adjective
Coming before all others in time or order.
option noun
A thing that you can choose to do or have.
optional adjective
Not required; able to be chosen or left out.

Commonly confused: first option or first choice?

first option vs first choice

'First choice' usually means the one you like best, while 'first option' can mean the one that comes first in a list, even if you don't like it best.

Practice

In the sentence 'When we looked at houses, the one near the park was our first option,' what does 'first option' mean?

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