as in originally
in the beginning
we initially intended to rebuild our hurricane-damaged home from the ground up
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Recent Examples of initially
The secret Traitor initially operated alone, choosing which players to place on a nightly murder short list.
—
Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The Coast Guard initially attempted to board the Marinera in December; however, the crew refused requests made by the agency.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
While the case was initially pending in court, Jonah Bevin was granted an emergency protective order against Matt Bevin and a less-severe restraining order against Glenna Bevin.
—Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The backstory Built initially as cabanas for ship-owning families to cool off over summer (where the current Matsuihsa restaurant is found), the Astir Palace hotel was constructed in 1967 as an upmarket destination for the well-heeled.
—Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for initially
Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The Coast Guard initially attempted to board the Marinera in December; however, the crew refused requests made by the agency.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
While the case was initially pending in court, Jonah Bevin was granted an emergency protective order against Matt Bevin and a less-severe restraining order against Glenna Bevin.
—Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The backstory Built initially as cabanas for ship-owning families to cool off over summer (where the current Matsuihsa restaurant is found), the Astir Palace hotel was constructed in 1967 as an upmarket destination for the well-heeled.
—Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for initially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for initially
originally
Adverb
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Nampa detectives eventually learned about Salat’s case in Ada County, where he originally was charged with three counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16, court records show.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
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Officials originally proposed upgrading the city’s largest cricket stadium, The Gabba, to accommodate the Games, though the project’s price tag was heavily criticized.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initially. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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