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.

“All of a sudden I’m looking at really horrific images and at first you have nightmares — and at a certain point you kind of adjust,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

The delayed draw term loan facility allows CoreWeave to borrow up to around $7.5 billion at first, with an additional $1 billion available as underlying assets reach stabilization.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Officers there were at first confused, then alarmed by the amount she had transferred.

From The Wall Street Journal • 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

Jeremy began to sketch, slowly at first, then with growing enthusiasm.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville