initially

adverb

ini·​tial·​ly i-ˈni-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce initially (audio)
: at the beginning : at first
The reason I initially came here was to find work.
It turned out that the situation was not as serious as we had initially believed.
Initially, the symptoms are mild.

Examples of initially in a Sentence

we initially intended to rebuild our hurricane-damaged home from the ground up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The agreement, initially presented by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, included clauses, including a demand for $500 billion, that raised concerns in Kyiv. Katya Soldak, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Colt escapes by initially driving a speedboat while facing away from the controls, evades his pursuers by zigging and zagging through the river, and then purposefully drives his boat into a floating pontoon, faking his own death via the gigantic explosion. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 Although initially unclear how the building collapsed, researchers are pointing to encroaching groundwater damage as a possible reason, the Technical University of Munich’s Fouad said. Mostafa Salem, CNN, 27 Feb. 2025 The Rales brothers’ rapid takeover strategy initially relied on Michael Milken’s infamous junk bonds. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for initially

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of initially was circa 1628

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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