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.
Monday, the blaze jumped a control line and initially scorched another 40 acres, according to Watch Duty, a nonprofit organization and app that tracks fires. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 Herrera initially intended to run in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District to challenge Emanuel Cleaver. — Jack Harvel july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 Smola is initially targeting clients across finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and insurance. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 27 July 2026 Some patients who were initially resistant now bring their vaccine questions to an appointment, or ask about whether a particular source is trustworthy — every so often, TikTok is surprisingly evidence-based. — Mara Evans, STAT, 27 July 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 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on initially

Nglish: Translation of initially for Spanish Speakers

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