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.

Synonyms

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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 two captains discussed something in the seconds before the toss and Van Dijk initially looked confused. — Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 12 Mar. 2025 As someone with a presence on social media, what initially drew you to the project? — Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025 The Wisconsin Supreme Court race was not initially on the PAC's radar, but Musk's team was ultimately drawn to the idea of flipping control of the court, said the person familiar with the PAC's operations. — arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025 Personalization relies on behavioral data, but new businesses or those entering new markets may not have enough data initially. — Vinod Sivagnanam, Forbes, 11 Mar. 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

Rhymes for initially

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Browse Nearby Words

initially
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Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of initially for Spanish Speakers

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