The foremost thing or person in a group is the most important or best.
He was one of the world's foremost scholars of ancient Indian culture.
Foremost among the military government's enemies are the foreign media.
Synonyms: leading, best, first, top More Synonyms of foremost
2.
See first and foremost
foremost in British English
(ˈfɔːˌməʊst)
adjective, adverb
first in time, place, rank, etc
Word origin
Old English formest, from forma first; related to Old Saxon formo first, Old High German fruma advantage
foremost in American English
(ˈfɔrˌmoʊst; also, ˈfɔrməst)
adjective
1.
first in place or time
2.
first in rank or importance; leading
adverb
3.
before all else; first
SIMILAR WORDS: chief
Word origin
ME foremeste < OE formest (akin to OFris formest, Goth frumists), superl. of OE forma, itself a superl. of fore (see fore); later understood and spelled as fore + many adjective
Examples of 'foremost' in a sentence
foremost
The task is first and foremost to stop letting goals in.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
First and foremost is whether or not the solution works and if the virtualisation ratios are sustainable.
Computing (2010)
But first and foremost he will be looking for defensive security.
The Sun (2016)
First and foremost it is to stop the counter-attack.
The Sun (2016)
First and foremost, the question is a political one.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
First and foremost, karaoke etiquette is vital to a happy experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is always something going on - although it's football first and foremost.
The Sun (2016)
First and foremost, we'll try to get out of the group.
The Sun (2016)
Now the foremost experts in the field want to keep their colleague alive.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You want to be on the pitch first and foremost.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It included new forensic pathology reports from the foremost experts in the field.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We want to win the group but first and foremost is getting out of the group.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He seems to be the foremost expert on the matter.
The Sun (2012)
This struggle is first and foremost an ideological one before it is a military one.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is first and foremost a commitment to be biblical.
Christianity Today (2000)
First and foremost we defend our goal.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Coffee shops are first and foremost a social venue.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But first and foremost we need to play well.
The Sun (2008)
The world's foremost military power would not then be party to the system of international law.
George Monbiot THE AGE OF CONSENT (2003)
Arabic for'the one to be foremost.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He's got to get himself better first and foremost.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
First and foremost, you want to be in the team.
The Sun (2015)
First and foremost, healthcare should be about outcomes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He made it pretty clear that the helicopter was for his own personal use, first and foremost.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
First and foremost, people need better information on the chances that their home could be at risk.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I write as a woman first and foremost and a journalist next.
Westcott, Patsy Alternative Health Care for Women (1991)
But Leicester is first and foremost.
The Sun (2015)
We will remember him, first and foremost, as a friend.
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
foremost
British English: foremost ADJECTIVE
The foremost thing or person in a group is the most important or best.
He was one of the world's foremost experts on the subject.
American English: foremost
Brazilian Portuguese: principal
Chinese: 最重要的
European Spanish: principal
French: principal
German: führend
Italian: principale
Japanese: 最重要の
Korean: 으뜸가는
European Portuguese: principal
Latin American Spanish: principal
Chinese translation of 'foremost'
foremost
(ˈfɔːməust)
adj
(= most important) 首屈一指的 (shǒu qū yī zhǐ de)
adv
first and foremost首要地 (shǒuyào de)
(adjective)
Definition
first in time, place, or importance
He was one of the world's foremost scholars.
Synonyms
leading
Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.
best
He was the best player in the world for most of the 1950s.
first
The first priority for development is to defeat inflation.
top
He was the top student in physics.
highest
front
He is the front runner for the star role.
chief
Financial stress is acknowledged as a chief reason for divorce.
The job went to one of his chief rivals.
prime
Political stability is a prime concern.
primary
His primary aim in life is to be happy.
supreme
He proposes to make himself the supreme overlord.
initial
The initial reaction has been excellent.
most important
principal
Their principal concern is that of winning the next election.
paramount
The welfare of the children must be of paramount importance.
inaugural
In his inaugural address, he appealed for understanding.
pre-eminent
He is the pre-eminent political figure in the country.
headmost
Additional synonyms
in the sense of best
Definition
most excellent of a particular group, category, etc.
He was the best player in the world for most of the 1950s.
Synonyms
finest,
leading,
top,
chief,
supreme,
principal,
first,
foremost,
superlative,
pre-eminent,
unsurpassed,
most accomplished,
most skilful,
most excellent,
golden,
outstanding
in the sense of chief
Financial stress is acknowledged as a chief reason for divorce.The job went to one of his chief rivals.
Synonyms
primary,
highest,
leading,
main,
prime,
capital,
central,
key,
essential,
premier,
supreme,
most important,
outstanding,
principal,
prevailing,
cardinal,
paramount,
big-time (informal),
foremost,
major league (informal),
predominant,
uppermost,
pre-eminent,
especial
in the sense of first
Definition
rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels
The first priority for development is to defeat inflation.