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
While technology will be the centerpiece, the facility — tentatively named the Connecticut Center for Applied AI — won’t have enormous banks of computer servers or the high-capacity energy and cooling systems that are trademarks of data centers.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
Two days earlier, Snelling underwent left elbow UCL repair surgery with an internal brace, an operation that will tentatively sideline him for the next 10-12 months.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 May 2026
An open-top bus parade, tentatively planned in 2024 for the day after the Conference League final, only for Villa to crash out in the semi-final, will take place on Thursday in Birmingham.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The state trial in Manhattan Criminal Court is tentatively scheduled to begin in September, followed by a federal trial sometime later in the fall.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 18 May 2026
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Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
Two days earlier, Snelling underwent left elbow UCL repair surgery with an internal brace, an operation that will tentatively sideline him for the next 10-12 months.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 May 2026
An open-top bus parade, tentatively planned in 2024 for the day after the Conference League final, only for Villa to crash out in the semi-final, will take place on Thursday in Birmingham.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The state trial in Manhattan Criminal Court is tentatively scheduled to begin in September, followed by a federal trial sometime later in the fall.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentatively
Cite this Entry
“Tentatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentatively. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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