Meaning & use
initially
At the beginning, before a change or development occurred.
See it in a sentence
Initially, the plan seemed simple, but new problems appeared once construction began.
She was initially nervous about the interview but relaxed after the first few questions.
A note on using this word
Initially signals a contrast with what happened later, so it often pairs with 'but' or 'however' in the same sentence.
Words with a similar meaning
at firstoriginally
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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