How to Use tentatively in a Sentence

tentatively

adverb
  • Kyiv has tentatively agreed to much of the new plan.
    — Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
  • The blond boy raised his hand tentatively.
    — Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
  • The first of these studios are tentatively set to open in the next month or two.
    — Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025
  • One of them nosed around the trap and tentatively entered it.
    — Jonathan Franzen, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023
  • Facey is now in jail after a judge tentatively denied him bail.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
  • Cernan tentatively raised himself up, placed his feet on his seat and stood in the open hatch.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The third book doesn't have a release date yet, but is tentatively set for this winter.
    — USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024
  • Edward tentatively explores the city by foot with his new face.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025
  • The key stress points that pressured the tape Tuesday have firmed up, at least tentatively.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The new venue is tentatively slated to open in the spring of 2026.
    — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges has tentatively been set for the week of June 3.
    — Robert Legare, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024
  • The job opening will tentatively be posted during the first week of May.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Awards are tentatively scheduled to be announced in April.
    — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
  • He was ordered detained until a hearing tentatively set for next week.
    — Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
  • After tentatively looking around, the bear paws out into the sunlight and enjoys the open air.
    — Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 27 Dec. 2023
  • Marodi is due back in court in April, and a trial date has been tentatively set for June.
    — City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The pitch flopped down and away as Soto flailed at it, tentatively; the great ones seldom swing so awkwardly.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 May 2025
  • And that has been under the system that has one foot tentatively in the marketplace and the other proudly out.
    — CBS News, 6 July 2025
  • Cops have tentatively ID’d the victim but have not publicly released his name or age yet.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Jury selection for the trial is tentatively scheduled to start in the fall.
    — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The top hourly wage would rise to more than $60 an hour under the deal tentatively struck in October.
    — Kate Gibson, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The students, who had been nervous for days leading up the event, walked tentatively onto the stage and into the spotlight.
    — Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023
  • Tatum tentatively expects to open April 16 if all goes well with the health inspection.
    — Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024
  • For now the space agency is tentatively planning for a January launch.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 Dec. 2025
  • After tentatively approaching the maiden, the unicorn lays its head in the maiden's lap and falls asleep.
    — Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023
  • The next step in the process is an evidentiary hearing tentatively set for May 6.
    — Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The trial is tentatively set for August.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 23 June 2026
  • Artemis 2 is tentatively aiming for a launch window as early as March 6.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The schedule and member list for that trip, which is tentatively planned for the April recess, remains fluid.
    — Mackenzie Hawkins, Bloomberg.com, 10 Feb. 2023
  • But Chris has tentatively started dating again.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tentatively.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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