tentatively

adverb

ten·​ta·​tive·​ly ˈten-tə-tiv-lē How to pronounce tentatively (audio)
: with hesitancy or uncertainty : in a tentative manner
He tentatively agreed to the deal.
Sliding along beside me was a five-foot-long mako shark …. Tentatively, I touched its dorsal fin.Rick Riordan
Once upon a time, tech titans would tentatively suggest, "Our technology can improve your life" …Kentaro Toyama
The network has announced a new series, tentatively titled The Fashion ShowLyndon Stambler

Examples of tentatively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Facey is now in jail after a judge tentatively denied him bail. Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025 Pino pleaded not guilty and is tentatively scheduled to stand trial in September. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025 The kittens, tentatively named Frodo and Sam, were brought to the Helen Woodward Animal Center late on May 20, along with two siblings who tragically succumbed to their injuries. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025 Under the deal, which the City Council tentatively approved this month, Denver agreed to put up $70 million to pay for the land and improvements to the area. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tentatively

Word History

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tentatively was in 1819

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Cite this Entry

“Tentatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentatively. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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