America First

proper noun

A series of political movements in the United States that supported isolationism, often with connotations of xenophobia or anti-Semitism.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. USgovernmentA series of political movements in the United States that supported isolationism, often with connotations of xenophobia or anti-Semitism.
    1 more example

    The State Department, implementing an executive order from President Donald Trump, described the purpose of the halt as ensuring that foreign aid is “efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda” and announced it would review all aid programs to determine which should be cut or redesigned.

    2025 February 7, Andrew Natsios, “Don't Gut USAID”, in Foreign Affairs, archived from the original on 27 Sep 2025

Origin

First used by the Know-Nothings in the 1850s. Later promoted by President Woodrow Wilson in the context of a neutral America in World War I (1916). Re-popularized during the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 美國優先 /美国优先
  • 美國優先 /美国优先 (Měiguó Yōuxiān)political movements in the United States
Swahili Marekani Kwanza
  • Marekani Kwanzapolitical movements in the United States
Cite this entry
APA

America First. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/America%20First

MLA

“America First.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/America%20First. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “America First,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/America%20First.

Source: America First on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.