as in delayed
not arriving, occurring, or settled at the due, usual, or proper time
a belated birthday card
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belated
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
Joy speaks at length about growing up in a culturally sophisticated yet oppressive family and holding her artistic temperament in check, before achieving a belated liberation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belated
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
Joy speaks at length about growing up in a culturally sophisticated yet oppressive family and holding her artistic temperament in check, before achieving a belated liberation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belated
Adjective
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The Metro-North Platform in Stamford The Stamford train platform is not exactly poetry — unless your idea of romance involves delayed commuters, laptop bags, and people silently negotiating personal space.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2026
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Mean procedure time was just 35 minutes, with zero periprocedural or delayed complications.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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As Augie Lopez trotted around the bases late Monday night, the small contingent of USC fans could finally be heard at Blue Bell Park.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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The charge was dismissed in late October, and Bushart subsequently filed a lawsuit against Perry County, Sheriff Nick Weems and the investigator who secured the arrest warrant.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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By the main course, most tardy guests have managed to arrive, but not all.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
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Kim Zolciak-Biermann's second daughter wasn't tardy for her party — her romantic photoshoto was practically the main event.—
Lindy Segal,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Under a bill that cleared a key committee on Wednesday evening, annual tax sales — the government’s way of dealing with delinquent property tax payments — are in line for a major shake-up statewide, though in Cook County most of all.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
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Central Valley Community Bank provided the hotel’s owner with the now-delinquent construction loan in 2019, according to county real estate records.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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In addition, officials said, another invoice has since gone past its due date, with total overdue balances reaching approximately $916,000.—
Nathan Ansell,
Arkansas Online,
29 May 2026
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The work was long overdue, according to the mayor.—
Celia Gruber,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belated. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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