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.
For Tudor Jones, the JUST 100 list and another acronym which may seem diametrically opposed to it, MAGA, have more in common than many people may initially think. Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025 Before the monthlong reprieve was announced late Monday, Canada, a key export market for American spirits, responded to this latest outbreak of trade warfare by initially ordering tariffs on American imports including beverages. Bruce Schreiner, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025 One source told The Star that Aris was initially seeking more than $4 million for Garcia alone. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025 Plans for Bully were initially revealed in September 2024 during a listening event for Vultures 2, West’s collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Feb. 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

Dictionary Entries Near initially

Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on initially

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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