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.
In the presidential race, Kennedy initially had sought the Democratic nomination, then ran as an independent. Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024 The team initially studied pheasants’ wings and flapping patterns to engineer a realistic drone that, when paired with a real taxidermied pheasant head and wings, could blend in naturally with live pheasants for less invasive wildlife monitoring. Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024 The fourth misfire was initially ruled a fumble that led to a Titans touchdown, but it was later overturned by video replay and ruled an incomplete pass. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 10 Nov. 2024 But after initially ruling the goal to be good, on-ice officials determined that Zetterlund illegally contacted Allen’s pad before the goal. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near initially

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on initially

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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