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.
Loggins, who also appears in the documentary, had a different reaction — at least initially. Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 29 Nov. 2024 Just look at other artists who were initially refused entry. Ann Binlot, ARTnews.com, 29 Nov. 2024 Curiously, The Times did not formally review the film when it was initially released, though the paper did publish three separate stories from July to September 1930 involving visits to the set while the movie was in production. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024 Sheinbaum initially responded angrily, threatening tariffs of her own. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 29 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near initially

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on initially

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!