initially

adverb

ini·​tial·​ly i-ˈni-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce initially (audio)
: at the beginning : at first
The reason I initially came here was to find work.
It turned out that the situation was not as serious as we had initially believed.
Initially, the symptoms are mild.

Examples of initially in a Sentence

we initially intended to rebuild our hurricane-damaged home from the ground up
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Writing for the 4-3 majority of the court, Justice Shawn Womack overturned a decision by 16th Judicial Circuit Judge Holly Meyer requiring the Cleburne County Clerk to count the signatures on the petition and certify the measure, which had initially been pushed for the 2024 election. Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025 Taggart follows a team of cops in Glasgow who investigate often grisly murders and complicated cases, initially led by the title character, Jim Taggart, played by Mark McManus until his death in 1994. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025 Fitzpatrick, who has contributed 50 tackles, one interception and recovered one fumble in the nine games, has played free safety and nickel cornerback for the Dolphins in his return to the team that initially drafted him 11th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025 Baldoni's lawsuit against Lively was initially dismissed in June. Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for initially

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of initially was circa 1628

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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