INITIAL Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

initial 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈni-shəl

Definition of initial

as in first

coming before all others in time or order you've resolved my initial complaint, but now I have a new question

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

initial

2 of 2

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of initial

Adjective

The new apparel facility launches with an initial production capacity of 500,000 pieces per month, with plans to scale to 1 million pieces per month in a second phase. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 Epstein was not named as one of the finalists or even a top 20 candidate by the initial search committee before the university provost scrapped the search and later appointed Epstein. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026

Verb

The lawyer tells you to initial every page. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025 The documents largely amount to a memorandum of understanding, with the two countries’ foreign ministers initialling a peace agreement, and Aliyev and Pashinyan signing a joint declaration to pursue a lasting peace. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for initial

Recent Examples of Synonyms for initial

Adjective

Now Ricketts is running for his first full six-year term against independent Dan Osborn -- a race that initially was not expected to be competitive but is now being watched by the national parties.

— NICHOLAS INGRAM, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
One of the first of those is when their AI program teaches itself to beat the machine in a notoriously difficult video game.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of first

Verb

Many ticketholders and onlookers have been left wondering who, if anyone, will sign on to sing alongside Sheeran for the rest of his tour, concluding December 11 in Mexico City.

— Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Now, United Airlines is trying to take advantage of the war of words by offering an elite status match to Delta customers who want to try Starlink Wi-Fi, which has become an industry standard as more airlines sign on.

— Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of sign on

Adjective

Thus the Marlowe played by Mitchum in the 1978 remake of The Big Sleep seems like an entirely different person from the original played by Bogart in 1946, despite their almost indistinguishable stories.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, the escalating price of seafood challenged Darden’s original dream—and parent companies’ finances.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of original

Verb

Hours after the ad was released, the husband-and-wife duo held a press conference to endorse Killin for Congress.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
There isn’t a world in which Mattel, who now owns and manages Pleasant Company, would canonically endorse Samantha joining the IWW.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of endorse

Adjective

The Chaidemenos family was among the first to introduce tourism to the sleepy fishing village of Oia with their 1983 opening of the 18-suite Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel, their inaugural property.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
After two decades helping build AirAsia and its parent Capital A, she was appointed in September as the inaugural chair of AI Malaysia, the country’s lead AI agency, charged with coordinating the National AI Action Plan 2026–2030.

— Ashleigh Nghiem, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of inaugural

Verb

The brand's products are sold at Target and Woodard has authored two acclaimed children's books.

— Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Business logic should belong to the company, not the vendor, so a future platform change never requires re-authoring rules from scratch.

— Sanchet Pachpute, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of author

Adjective

The first points at the new Ryan Field went to — fittingly enough — the Wildcats when Jackson Kleather booted a 50-yarder between the uprights to cap off Northwestern's maiden drive in their new home.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
The maiden flight was conducted by Captain and Test Pilot Bernardo Saez-Benito and First Officer and Experimental Test Pilot Sylvain Guiraud.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of maiden

Verb

Amodei and the leaders of Google, Meta, OpenAI, X and Nvidia signed the agreement.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
The probe, which comes one day after top tech leaders signed a self-regulatory AI accord at the White House, could compel tech CEOs to testify before Congress.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of sign

Browse Nearby Words

iniquity

initial

initialed

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Style

“Initial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initial. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of initial

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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