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.
Initially, we moved around a lot and always rented.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
Initially Chantal only invested 250 euros, but after seeing her money quickly quadruple she succumbed when advisors asked if she wanted to invest more money.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
"Initially there were one or two a year coming through," she says.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Initially I was aiming for $5,000 each, but now I’m not sure.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
Initially, when the level crossing had just closed, the air was full of the impatient sound of idling engines.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions 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.
