first impressions count

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the principle that the initial judgment or feeling formed upon meeting someone or encountering something for the first time has a powerful and lasting effect on subsequent perceptions and relationships; psychological research supports the claim that first impressions are formed within seconds and can persist long after contradictory information emerges; the phrase is used to advise care in personal presentation, professional introductions, and the design of products, since overcoming a poor first impression requires substantially more effort than making a good one