as in originally
in the beginning
we initially intended to rebuild our hurricane-damaged home from the ground up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of initially
Paleontologist Reg Sprigg initially identified its distinctive quilted pattern and named it in honor of Ben Dickinson, a government official with the South Australian Mines Department.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Playing time in the postseason That massive free-agent haul on July 1 turned into a different kind of story than anticipated initially.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
In Maui, while some of the island’s celebrity homeowners initially discouraged visitors from returning, the region was welcoming people back two months after the wildfires, says Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā, chief stewardship officer at the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
Inventors like Richard Arkwright and James Hargreaves had mechanized spinning with various contraptions, but weaving initially remained too complex to automate.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for initially
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Playing time in the postseason That massive free-agent haul on July 1 turned into a different kind of story than anticipated initially.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
In Maui, while some of the island’s celebrity homeowners initially discouraged visitors from returning, the region was welcoming people back two months after the wildfires, says Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā, chief stewardship officer at the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
Inventors like Richard Arkwright and James Hargreaves had mechanized spinning with various contraptions, but weaving initially remained too complex to automate.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for initially
Cite this Entry
“Initially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initially. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share