belated

adjective

bi-ˈlā-təd How to pronounce belated (audio)
Definition of belatednext
as in delayed
not arriving, occurring, or settled at the due, usual, or proper time a belated birthday card

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of belated Use that momentum to start a belated conversation or lead a communication endeavor. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2026 Middleton's visit to Leicester served as a belated celebration of Holi, the Hindu festival, which took place on Wednesday, March 4. — Emma Banks, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026 That’s true historically — Netflix ran a 10K on streaming before Disney could lace up its sneakers, prompting a mad belated frenzy from the Burbank firm to get its own service up and running more than a decade later, in 2019. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025 China, meanwhile, is living with the long shadow of its one-child policy, which was eased to a two-child rule in 2016 and then to a three-child policy in 2021 in a belated push to boost births. — Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for belated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belated
  1. delayed
  2. late
  3. tardy
  4. delinquent
  5. overdue
Adjective
  • Ahead of the commissioners’ discussion and delayed vote, there was a flood of opposition from residents, politicians and voting right groups.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The filing is backed by a Phase 3 study that showed the drug resulted in significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival over standard chemotherapy, along with delayed worsening of pain and quality of life.
    — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 23 July 2026
Definition of delayed
Adjective
  • Their bullpen, anchored by Raisel Iglesias and featuring multiple left-handers, offers crucial late-game relief.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That score held until two outs in the ninth, when Smith delivered the game-tying single that set the Giants’ latest loss in motion.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of late
Adjective
  • Pulitzer-Prize finalist Daniel Mason molds his new novel around Miles Krzelewski, married to a Stanford academic superstar, twelve years tardy on his dissertation.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Machado, who was shifted over and essentially playing in the shortstop position, fielded the ball and diverted his route to go put a tag on Hoerner before making a tardy throw to first base.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2026
Definition of tardy
Adjective
  • But so dismayed that the state was so delinquent in doing this.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Jackson County also canceled its 2026 delinquent land sale — in which properties significantly behind on their taxes are auctioned off by the county — as property tax policies keep changing.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of delinquent
Adjective
  • This recognition is long overdue and is a testament to Devorah's extraordinary determination over more than three decades of advocacy.
    — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The strings had deteriorated so much that two of them couldn't even be pulled up – replacement time was overdue by about five years.
    — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of overdue

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belabors
belated
belatedly
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Cite this Entry

“Belated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belated. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of belated for Spanish Speakers

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