first-line

Front-rank medical treatment

First-line describes what comes first in a sequence of options or responses.

A first-line treatment is the initial therapy doctors try before moving to alternatives.

First-line defense is the primary barrier against threats.

First-line managers occupy the lowest tier of management, directly supervising workers.

The term implies there are second-line and third-line options waiting if needed.

priority

initial

Name's opening letter

main · chief · leading · paramount · essential · default · preferred · standard · go-to · immediate

military

defense

Protection against harm

soldiers · combat · frontline · battlefield · assault · advance · offensive · engagement · barricade · fortification

medical

treatment

Care for an ailment

intervention · triage · chemotherapy · immunotherapy · pharmacotherapy · prescription · diagnosis · physician · clinician · protocol

poetry

verse

Metered poetic passage

meter · rhyme · iambic · sonnet · ode · ballad · haiku · limerick · hendecasyllable · caesura

text

opening

Gap or start

introduction · heading · lead · headline · caption · tagline · opener · preamble · lede

Categories
Opposites
treatment/intervention sequence

first-linesecond-line

Backup or alternative approach

backup · secondary · fallback · reserve · adjunctive

priority/hierarchy

first-linesecondary

Lesser in rank

backup · fallback · auxiliary · reserve · tertiary

Family

first, line, firstly, liner, liners, lines, lined, lining, linear

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G