tentatively
Americanadverb
-
as a trial, experiment, or attempt.
Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for the 8th of June.
-
in a hesitant or uncertain manner.
She spoke tentatively, but apparently thought better of it and stopped.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tentatively
Explanation
Tentatively means "hesitantly," like how you go about a delicate or dangerous situation. It also refers to uncertainty, like when you tentatively make plans to go to a party, even though you don't have a ride yet. It makes sense that the English adverb tentatively stems from the Latin tentare, "to feel, try," because to do something tentatively means to test it out. Think of how you slowly wade into a freezing cold pool. You’re moving tentatively, because you know it’s going to be a shock and you want to give your body time to adjust. The opposite of tentatively is certainly, a word that indicates no hesitation.
Vocabulary lists containing tentatively
The Giver
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The Diary of Anne Frank
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A Raisin in the Sun
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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.
Sixteen of the compounds were tentatively identified as flavoalkaloids, providing the first evidence that this rare class of chemicals occurs in Cannabis leaves.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
A key measure of consumer prices rose more than expected in August, breaking two months of improvement that had tentatively validated the Fed’s own forecast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Princess Ita was buried beside Princess Khenmet, while Princess Itaweret was interred alongside an unidentified woman who has tentatively been identified as Princess Sathathormeryt.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Work cleaning the Oceanwide Plaza skyscrapers — known informally as Graffiti Towers — will begin immediately, according to the $517-million sale agreement tentatively approved by a federal judge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
When I’ve got myself successfully upright, I step tentatively forward.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
