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 Kaplan, who needed a bed frame, initially approached Patti with a sketch to help bring a custom design to life. Chris Schalkx Coco Romack Jinnie Lee Jamie Sims Zoe Ruffner Roxanne Fequiere, New York Times, 30 May 2024 Prosecutors initially announced their intent to seek the death penalty against the Daybells, but two weeks before Vallow Daybell’s trial in 2023, 7th District Judge Steven Boyce removed it as an option — in an unprecedented move. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 30 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for initially 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'initially.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 2 Jun. 2024.

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