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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Giants like Dassault, Ansys, and Siemens initially rolled out products catering to aviation, shipping, automotive, and petrochemical sectors. Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025 But though the iconic museum was initially constructed as a building meant to safeguard and fortify the area, thieves have managed to get through its defenses on a number of occasions and carry off priceless works of art. Solcyré Burga, Time, 20 Oct. 2025 Supported, at least initially, by his pious wife, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani), and his two teenage daughters, Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki), Iman and his clan seem set for a comfy bourgeois life. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 The investigation showed the incident began as a road rage event, initially a verbal altercation, involving the occupants of a pair of vehicles, the release states. Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for initially

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of initially was circa 1628

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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