BELATED Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

belated

adjective

bi-ˈlā-təd

Definition of belated

as in delayed

not arriving, occurring, or settled at the due, usual, or proper time a belated birthday card

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 The journey proves a belated act of self-discovery. — John Hopewell, Variety, 17 May 2026 Tonkin marked their first wedding anniversary in a belated Instagram post on Tuesday, May 12. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Seattle receiver Golden Tate, after pushing off on the Packers’ Sam Shields (no flag was thrown, naturally), had made what seemed like a belated reach and put a single arm on the ball as Jennings fell to the ground. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 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 See All Example Sentences for belated

Recent Examples of Synonyms for belated

Adjective

The delayed flight was one of two crises that Haitian officials faced on Thursday with deportees being returned from the United States.

— Gérard Maxineau, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
After Tuesday’s practice, Purdy detailed how a delayed throw to Luke Farrell got intercepted by linebacker Del-Shawn Phillips off near the goal line.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of delayed

Adjective

The backstory For most of my life, the Old Dutch Inn has been just a faint memory of kicking my legs from a bar stool, drinking a Shirley Temple next to my late grandmother, who would likely have been nursing a gin and tonic.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
According to reports in September 2025, CATL’s European general manager Matt Shen informed that the company had been aiming to start production in late 2025 or early 2026.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of late

Adjective

Within the first couple of weeks, one student reported that the bus on Route 51 picked up the students late one day, causing everyone to go through the office to get tardy slips for class.

— Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of tardy

Browse Nearby Words

belabors

belated

belatedly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Belated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belated. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of belated

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bellwether

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes