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.

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Etymology

Origin of initially

initial ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Example Sentences

Despite the tensions over the war, Meloni initially avoided criticizing Trump directly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

Harrison admitted to underestimating the backlash from fans but defended the trade, initially saying he had “no regrets.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

Lyon won an appeal against relegation the following month, after initially being demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

The listing comes one year after the actress successfully unloaded another renovated property in Montecito, Calif., for $16.8 million—although she earned a much lower profit than she had initially hoped.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

Magellan was initially treated as a guest in the Philippines.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• originally