You know, I used to struggle a lot with writing introductions that didn’t sound repetitive. Every time I started an article or a presentation, I’d just write Firstly, and it felt so boring and predictable.
I realized that relying on Firstly all the time was making my writing dull, and I wanted to fix that.
So, I started looking for other ways to say Firstly different phrases that could make my points sound more engaging and natural.
Honestly, at first, it felt overwhelming because there are so many alternatives, and I wasn’t sure which ones would actually fit smoothly into my sentences.
But then, I experimented with phrases like To begin with, First of all, and Let’s start by, and it completely changed how my writing flowed.
I felt like I had finally found a solution that made my introductions lively, clear, and easy to read. If you’ve ever felt stuck using the same word over and over, I totally get you, and this little trick really helped me handle it.
Common and Everyday Alternatives
- First
- First of all
- At first
- To start
- To begin
- In the beginning
- Initially
- From the start
- At the start
- In the first place
- At the outset
- Before anything else
- As a first step
- Early on
- At the very start
- Right away
- From the beginning
- First thing
- As a starter
- To kick things off
Formal and Academic Alternatives
- Initially speaking
- To commence
- At the outset of discussion
- In the opening stage
- As an initial point
- At the preliminary stage
- At the primary level
- As a starting point
- In the first instance
- To begin with
- At the commencement
- In early analysis
- At the opening level
- In the initial phase
- As a first consideration
- In the early stage
- From an academic view
- As a foundation
- At the base level
- In opening remarks
Casual and Friendly Alternatives
- First up
- To start things off
- Before we dive in
- Let us start
- Let us begin here
- First things first
- Right from the start
- At the very first step
- At the get go
- As we start
- In the beginning part
- Starting off
- At the opening
- To get going
- From square one
- As we begin
- First step first
- Just to begin
- Starting here
- At the kickoff
Storytelling and Narrative Alternatives
- It all started when
- In the early days
- At the very beginning
- Back at the start
- When it all began
- At the start of the story
- In the opening moment
- At the first moment
- Long before anything else
- At the dawn of it all
- At the first scene
- In the opening chapter
- At the start of events
- In the first moment
- Early in the story
- At the starting line
- From the first moment on
- At the beginning of time
- In the opening part
- At the start of the journey
Professional and Business Alternatives
- To begin our discussion
- As a first priority
- At the initial stage
- To open the meeting
- As a starting agenda
- First on the list
- As the opening point
- At the first level
- As an entry point
- At the primary stage
- In our opening step
- To start our process
- As a base action
- At the launch stage
- As an opening focus
- In the early phase
- To open this topic
- At the starting phase
- As a kickoff point
- In the first round
Instructional and Step Based Alternatives
- Step one
- As the first step
- To begin the process
- Start by
- Begin with
- The first step is
- At step one
- As a starting step
- First action
- At the start of steps
- Begin here
- Initial step
- Opening step
- First move
- First action to take
- At the first stage
- Starting point
- Base step
- First thing to do
- Step at the start
Creative and Expressive Alternatives
- At the opening beat
- From the first spark
- At the starting note
- With the first move
- From the opening breath
- At the first light
- As the story opens
- From the first idea
- At the starting sound
- In the first wave
- At the opening spark
- From the first thought
- At the start of flow
- As the journey starts
- At the opening turn
- With the first step forward
- From the first glance
- At the start of motion
- As things open up
- From the opening moment
Simple Alternatives for Students and Kids
- First thing
- At first
- To start
- In the start
- First step
- Before all
- First time
- At the beginning
- Start here
- First part
- At the start
- First idea
- First point
- First side
- First look
- First try
- First go
- First place
- First part of all
- First thought
Conclusion
Using different ways to say firstly helps your writing sound fresh, clear, and natural.
Pick the option that fits your tone, audience, and purpose best.
Discover More Post
- Different Other Ways to Say and That Make You Sound Smarter(2026)
- 460+Different Other Ways to Say Important Writing For (2026)
- Different Other Ways to Say however Explained For You(2026)

N.K. Jemisin, founder of ReplyLinee.com, is an expert in creating engaging and impactful digital content. Dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that captivate and inspire audiences.










