first-place

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Given to, or achieved by, the person or team that wins or ranks top in a competition.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun and takes a hyphen: a first-place prize, not 'the prize is first-place'.

   Patterns

   • first-place finish
   • first-place trophy
   • first-place team

   She proudly held up her first-place ribbon.

   The first-place team gets a trip to the national finals.

   His first-place finish surprised the judges.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounsport

   Currently holding the top position in a league table or ranking.

   Grammar: Describes a team or person at the top of a list: the first-place Rangers.

   Patterns

   • first-place standing
   • first-place lead

   The first-place Tigers play the second-ranked team tonight.

   They keep a narrow first-place lead in the league.

   The first-place runner had no rivals within sight.

Common combinations

first-place finish

A first-place finish would send the team to the final.

first-place prize

The first-place prize is a year of free lessons.

first-place trophy

The first-place trophy sits on the shelf.

first-place votes

She received most of the first-place votes in the poll.

first-place medal

Maya won the first-place medal in the swimming meet.

Synonyms and how they differ

winning

Winning is broader and can describe any victory, while first-place names a ranked position.

top-ranked

Top-ranked refers to a rating before a contest, while first-place usually describes a result.

gold

Gold-medal links to prizes in set competitions, while first-place suits any contest.

Opposites

Word family

first adjective

coming before all others in order

place noun

a position in a ranking or contest

first adverb

before anything else, as in who finished first

Commonly confused: first-place or in first place?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “first-place”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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