initially

adverb

ini·​tial·​ly i-ˈni-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce initially (audio)
Synonyms of initially
: 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 of initially

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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 Republican president has said new strikes on Iran are an option after the midterms and is sending more military resources to the Middle East, despite initially promising Americans a military campaign that would last only a matter of weeks. — Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026 Samano, who was 17 at the time of the killing, was initially charged in juvenile court in July 2024, but was ordered to stand trial as an adult. — Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026 The club initially argued that Mbappe had no intent to offend while also explaining that players have freedom of expression, which predictably did not go over well. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 So much so, in fact, that the couple initially set out to be collaborators, filling their diaries with friendly coffees and gigs over the next couple of months. — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 28 Oct. 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

Rhymes for initially

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Browse Nearby Words

initial line
initially
initial public offering
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Cite this Entry

“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initially. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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