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Synonyms

initially

American  
[ih-nish-uh-lee] / ɪˈnɪʃ ə li /

adverb

  1. happening first; at the start; in the beginning.

    Although natural gas cars cost a bit more initially, savings from lower fuel costs can help make up the difference.

    The foundation initially funded only educational programs, but later also awarded grants for emotional and social support.


Etymology

Origin of initially

initial ( def. ) + -ly

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.

“The Housemaid” initially appears to have those trappings, slowly revealing that Nina is on a steady cocktail of antipsychotics after a trip to the psych ward.

From Salon

And while the league had initially shown some understanding, patience among other owners and NFL brass had run out well before this season’s Super Bowl run.

From The Wall Street Journal

The father-of-two said he and his wife initially went to Florida with their daughters but now go just by themselves, although sometimes they are joined by friends.

From BBC

He initially thought his church would "help 10 to 20 families, and that's it".

From Barron's

The England white-ball skipper had initially said he was out on his own in Wellington on 1 November, the evening before a one-day international.

From BBC