tentatively

adverb

ten·​ta·​tive·​ly ˈten-tə-tiv-lē 

: with hesitancy or uncertainty : in a tentative manner

He tentatively agreed to the deal.

Sliding along beside me was a five-foot-long mako shark …. Tentatively, I touched its dorsal fin.

—Rick Riordan

Once upon a time, tech titans would tentatively suggest, "Our technology can improve your life" …

—Kentaro Toyama

The network has announced a new series, tentatively titled The Fashion Show …

—Lyndon Stambler

Examples of tentatively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That process starts with a Plan Commission hearing, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 17, said Andy Inman, NCG Hospitality chief development officer. —Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 5 Dec. 2024

What's next: A town public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 4. —Alexandria Sands, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024

The pop star is gearing up for the release of her seventh album, which is tentatively slated for February. —Thania Garcia, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu M. Berle is tentatively scheduled to consider the agreement at a Jan. 10 hearing. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

tentative entry 1 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above