First-place
adj.capable, joyfulprofessional
What it means
Ranking highest in a contest or comparison.
Reach for it when stating that something ranked highest in a contest or comparison
Her first-place design used less material without sacrificing strength.
Choose between these
6- playful
the winner's status should sound energetic
not when Champion usually names a person or team rather than a design.
- everyday
gold-medal
the competition literally awards gold
not when Gold-medal is wrong when the prize uses another system.
- everyday
success matters without naming rank
not when Winning can describe an appealing quality before results exist.
- professional
comparison within a defined category is supported
not when Best-in-class is corporate language and needs a named class.
- professional
top-ranked
a ranking system supports the position
not when Top-ranked can refer to a rolling list, not one contest.
- formal
highest position matters without finality
not when Leading can be temporary while first place is the result.
Said against
3- last-place
- unplaced
- runner-up
It naturally appears in
3- first-place design
Her first-place design used less material.
- first-place finish
A first-place finish secured the club's promotion.
- first-place award
The judges presented a first-place award for accessibility.
Where this comes from
No exact Wiktionary headword was available on 2026-07-26; the sense is grounded in first place.
- wiktionary, English noun phrase sense: highest competitive rank opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.