belatedly

adverb

as in later
after the due, usual, or proper time she belatedly realized that it had been her friend's birthday the day before

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 belatedly This year, blessedly free of injury, Muchová has belatedly been able to play the kind of tennis that makes purists purr. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026 That’s when Hilton renewed his earlier calls for Bianco to belatedly drop out of the race. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 9 June 2026 His lament mirrored the anguish of legions of Venezuelans who endured harrowing days clearing rubble by hand before crews with heavy equipment and rescue dogs belatedly arrived. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 The Spanish Catholic hierarchy is belatedly reckoning with decades of abuse and cover-ups in the once-staunchly Catholic country. — ABC News, 6 June 2026 Willis, who still performs periodically, is preparing to belatedly release his first solo album. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026 The Digest Feminist, self-taught, and belatedly recognized French artist Raymonde Arcier has died at 86. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 June 2026 These Supreme Court cases were belatedly allowed to proceed due to a 1996 law, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. — Manuel A. Gómez, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 That contrast was also manifest in the relative outcomes; the White House only belatedly announced deals for the sale of 200 Boeing jets and at least $17 billion of American agricultural products annually to China through 2028. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belatedly
  1. later
  2. late
  3. eventually
  4. slowly
Adverb
  • The suspect vehicle was found a short time later, police said, but the suspect was still at large Wednesday.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • And in one section, 1,200 cc engines are being assembled for the company’s new superpremium motorbike, the Norton Manx R, one of four new models from the historic British brand now owned by TVS Motor and set to go on sale later this year.
    — Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of later
Adverb
  • Shortstop Miguel Rojas, who botched a grounder to his left earlier in the inning that enabled a run to score, was late breaking to cover third, leaving the bag wide open.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The Americans, at last coming up for air, had a moment late in the half that buoyed a capacity crowd in Seattle’s NFL stadium and numerous watch parties throughout San Diego County.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of late
Adverb
  • On May 17, 1959, an 18-year-old Lee returned to San Francisco and eventually made his way to Hollywood.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • These birds will eventually be released on Palmyra Atoll, a brown snake-free island in the Pacific Ocean.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of eventually
Adverb
  • Bell’s letter to James and New York MFCU Director Amy Held argues that the unit is moving too slowly on cases and amassing too few indictments and convictions for wrongdoing in the Medicaid system.
    — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Manganese atoms slowly take the place of some iron, creating a uniform LMFP structure.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026
Definition of slowly

Browse Nearby Words

belated
belatedly
belatedness
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Cite this Entry

“Belatedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belatedly. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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