tentatively

[ten-tuh-tiv-lee]

adverb

1. as a trial, experiment, or attempt.

   Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for the 8th of June.

2. in a hesitant or uncertain manner.

   She spoke tentatively, but apparently thought better of it and stopped.

Other Word Forms

• nontentatively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tentatively¹

tentative ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

They had recently won full control of every statewide office and were tentatively flexing their newfound authority after decades on the sidelines.

From Salon

But the steady hand of the experienced and sensible Mark Robins, matched with recruitment that so far looks very solid on paper, has seen expectations tentatively rise.

From BBC

The government has tentatively embraced foreign labour by launching a digital nomad visa and upskilling initiatives, but immigration remains politically fraught in the largely conservative country.

From BBC

She was also juggling men, among them the boyish Sam Chapman, whose proposal she’d tentatively accepted, to a wealthy 64-year-old who showered her with pricey presents, such as an automobile.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m tentatively excited about what we might do, what we might bring, what it will feel like. It has to feel different because this movie is very different to the first.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conditionally www.thesaurus.com
• provisionally www.thesaurus.com
• temporarily