tentatively

adverb

ten·​ta·​tive·​ly ˈten-tə-tiv-lē 

: 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 Show …

—Lyndon Stambler

Examples of tentatively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When a judge tentatively allowed the music to bang on this fall, sonic private eyes and city officials patrolled the neighborhood with microphones and decibel meters, gathering ammunition for the battle. —Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024

For now, the Starliner is tentatively preparing for its next mission later in 2025. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024

Here, a young Hemingway is exploring his craft, tentatively feeling his way towards a new style. —Benjamin Wolff, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

All three men were tentatively scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 28. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

tentative entry 1 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above