as in originally
in the beginning
we initially intended to rebuild our hurricane-damaged home from the ground up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 initially
Knowledge is power At the outbreak of the conflict, Russia initially believed its superior hardware would provide a decisive advantage.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
Though it was initially viewed as a fringe group, by 2020, Republican politicians who actively embraced QAnon, like Greene, were winning elections — indicating that, at least in some parts of the country, people were buying into it.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
Giuliani was a reluctant convert, initially preferring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
—John Avlon, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
The government initially issues them.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for initially
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
Though it was initially viewed as a fringe group, by 2020, Republican politicians who actively embraced QAnon, like Greene, were winning elections — indicating that, at least in some parts of the country, people were buying into it.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
Giuliani was a reluctant convert, initially preferring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
—John Avlon, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
The government initially issues them.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for initially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for initially
originally
Adverb
-
In this novel, originally published in 1967, the sense of feverish pursuit and longing starts on page one and does not let up.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Friday's event was originally intended to celebrate the bill's passage through the legislature.—
Jamie Leary,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initially. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
