at first
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.
They tend to form gradually as confidence begins to fracture, often invisibly at first.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
By comparison with some of the nefarious plotters in that show, Titus is a bit of an also-ran—at least at first.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Smee admits he knew little about California plants and soil at first, but he says he has since become more connected to the land.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
"The fracture caused a very loud snapping noise that actually startled me. I thought at first the machine had broken, but soon realized that the noise came from the stretching fluid."
From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026
He didn’t hear anything at first, so he walked down the hallway to the kitchen.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
