to begin with
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.
The scenario, improbable to begin with, was especially unlikely given that Skalnik was widely known to be an informant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Don’t try and latch on to whatever the success is, and then complain that it didn’t work for you when that wasn’t your forte to begin with.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
When you arrive on tour so quickly, nobody knows your weaknesses to begin with, but opponents will get wise to your game and find tactics that work against you.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Even if he is a stable individual and grateful for a place to live, it’s never easy to take away something that was given so freely to begin with.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
The human doesn’t bring me much in the way of food to begin with, and now I’d have to share it with this opossum?
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
