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

Not that my throat really bothered me initially.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Eleni then looked out of her bedroom window to see a “strong red glow” in the direction of the neighbor’s house, from where she initially thought the fire was coming.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The death was initially treated as not suspicious until concerns were raised following an Ofsted inspection.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

The company initially said that its seventh-generation machine, called Polaris, was on track to produce more electricity than it consumes in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

My parents weren’t initially sure what to do with me, and my doctors didn’t even know if I’d live very long.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Related Words

• originally