initially

adverb

ini·​tial·​ly i-ˈni-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce initially (audio)
Synonyms of initiallynext
: 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.
The hospital was initially placed on lockdown, but that order was lifted several hours later as police began clearing the scene. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 June 2026 Authorities initially did not report serious injuries on the ground, though five responding officers were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation according to Baeza. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026 The letter, which was initially written by Boggie, was modified by Wagoner to exclude several of the sustained investigative findings, according to a lawsuit Boggie filed after she was not reappointed to her job. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 17 June 2026 The legacy of rules dates back to 1972, initially shaped by choreographer Texie Waterman and expanded during Suzanne Mitchell's directorship from 1976 to 1989. Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026 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 18 Jun. 2026.

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