initially
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of initially
Explanation
The word initially can be used to describe an action that happened first. You might initially want fish for dinner, but then end up getting the pasta special that looks so good. The adverb initially can describe something that happened at the beginning. Initially you might have thought the apartment was too small, but then you decided to take it because of the rooftop garden. You initially wanted to go to college far from home, but decided to stay closer to be near your family. The bride-to-be initially wanted an outdoor wedding, but decided against it because of the area's unpredictable weather.
Vocabulary lists containing initially
Hatchet
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Workshop 3, Part 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Newsom made housing a centerpiece of his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, initially pledging to build 3.5 million homes by 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
He was initially charged with four offences, but prosecutors later dropped two.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
In Virginia, Hope said he initially sought speed-limiters for all reckless driving convictions in lieu of suspension.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
“There was nothing here when we started,” she said of the compound, which was initially just a single house.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
She would look away as soon as Kaede glanced at her, so initially Kaede wondered if she were imagining things.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
