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
The pitch flopped down and away as Soto flailed at it, tentatively; the great ones seldom swing so awkwardly.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Coots’ next hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 6.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 8 May 2025
When Pearl first arrived, her owner, Vanesa Semler, held her while Reggie tentatively sniffed her.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 May 2025
Despite opposition, Assembly Bill 408, legislation sponsored by the Medical Board of California, passed its second committee hearing Tuesday and is headed for a hearing before the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, tentatively scheduled for May 14.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentatively
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Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Coots’ next hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 6.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 8 May 2025
When Pearl first arrived, her owner, Vanesa Semler, held her while Reggie tentatively sniffed her.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 May 2025
Despite opposition, Assembly Bill 408, legislation sponsored by the Medical Board of California, passed its second committee hearing Tuesday and is headed for a hearing before the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, tentatively scheduled for May 14.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 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 24 May. 2025.
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