at first

Idioms and Phrases

Initially, at the start, as in At first the berries were green, but when they ripened they turned bright red . [Second half of 1500s]

Example Sentences

Mahmood removed Evin Lewis in the next over before setting up Roston Chase superbly to have him caught at first slip in the fourth.

From BBC

“At first, I didn’t want to play the position,” Maiava said this week.

From Los Angeles Times

Maiava was slow, at first, to warm up.

From Los Angeles Times

The population, then at around 211 million, continued to expand, and many who at first worried for the carrying capacity of the planet became preoccupied with walling off the country and keeping the global population at bay.

From Salon

At first, buyers hoped the platform would be resurrected and reappear in some form.

From Salon

Related Words

• basically
• formerly