tentatively

adverb

ten·​ta·​tive·​ly ˈten-tə-tiv-lē How to pronounce tentatively (audio)
: 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 ShowLyndon Stambler

Examples of tentatively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Per the pilot’s script cover posted by Shyamalan, the series appears to be titled (or at least tentatively titled) Magic 8 Ball. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025 Real yields are still high, fiscal deficits remain historically large, and Fed rhetoric has only tentatively shifted toward easing. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 So, in 1999, English football tentatively dipped its toes into the water. Michael Cox, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 The site for the game in Honolulu is tentatively at New Aloha Stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2028. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tentatively

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tentatively was in 1819

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Cite this Entry

“Tentatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentatively. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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