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.
Of the 12 submissions received, the board initially favored working with Continental Development and Mar Ventures on a plan that would keep Silverado on the site.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
A man who gave his surname as Huang said they initially hadn't realised the severity of the situation, as "never in history had it ever been this bad".
From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026
Jeffrey Abbott, a former PhD student in Ham's laboratory, initially developed the silicon electronics for recording electrical activity inside large populations of neurons.
From Science Daily • Jul. 9, 2026
Though the committee initially sought to meet the July 1 deadline to get the measure on the November ballot, they shifted their goal to the 2027 general election to ensure they could gain enough momentum.
From Salon • Jul. 9, 2026
Barred from returning to Oklahoma, he had initially gone to work on a sheep farm in New Mexico, earning $75 a month.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
