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
Rick RiordanOnce upon a time, tech titans would tentatively suggest, "Our technology can improve your life" …—Kentaro Toyama
Kentaro ToyamaThe network has announced a new series, tentatively titled The Fashion Show …—Lyndon Stambler
Lyndon StamblerExamples of tentatively in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So far, brown bears are loving the carp, sea lions are tentatively enjoying the goldfish, and North American river otters have sampled goldfish and rusty crayfish.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
It was tentatively called the Spectator, and was inspired by artists in London in the early 1700s, featuring British painters of the time, from William Hogarth to Joshua Reynolds.
—Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 13 Sep. 2025
But two of the three county commissioners tentatively decided to keep townhome and duplex options available in more areas.
—Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025
The company will perform for three weeks each winter for five years in exchange for a financial lifeline, tentatively agreed to be distributed over the next eight years, The New York Times reported.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentatively
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Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
It was tentatively called the Spectator, and was inspired by artists in London in the early 1700s, featuring British painters of the time, from William Hogarth to Joshua Reynolds.
—Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 13 Sep. 2025
But two of the three county commissioners tentatively decided to keep townhome and duplex options available in more areas.
—Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025
The company will perform for three weeks each winter for five years in exchange for a financial lifeline, tentatively agreed to be distributed over the next eight years, The New York Times reported.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentatively
Cite this Entry
“Tentatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentatively. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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