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

After nine days on strike, workers at Philadelphia's largest unionized hotel have tentatively agreed to a new contract. — Laura Fay, CBS News, 29 June 2026

The Obamas and their Higher Ground Productions have tentatively waded into the world of Hollywood with TV and movies, mostly documentaries and children's shows. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 June 2026

Ouweleen tentatively hopes for a work in progress session to be hosted at next year’s Annecy Festival. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 26 June 2026

Anthony Properties plans a commercial component to the project, tentatively anticipating a pair of 6,500-square-foot buildings facing Broad Street. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

tentative entry 1 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above