initially

[ih-nish-uh-lee]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of initially¹

initial ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Released Sept. 18 on HBO Max, “Aztec Batman” was initially conceived as a miniseries, and eventually took the more concise form of a film.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He initially wound up in prison, according to the movie, simply because he was a little too eager to raise money to please his wife and three kids.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

After initially adopting a conciliatory tone and dismissing his entire government, Rajoelina appointed a military officer as prime minister on October 6.

Read more on Barron's

Prentiss suggested that a deal would take longer to put together than initially expected, after reports surfaced last month that the Ellisons were planning to put together an all-cash bid themselves.

Read more on MarketWatch

By July, a clearer picture had developed, with demand from consumers and businesses stabilizing, prompting the company to restore guidance, albeit at lower levels than it had initially forecast.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• originally