as in later
after the due, usual, or proper time
she belatedly realized that it had been her friend's birthday the day before
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Recent Examples of belatedly
News outlets are belatedly reporting that the Islamic Republic has used the cover of a sustained media blackout to carry out the most extensive repression in its history.
—
Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The audit was ordered last year after the Blue Hills Civic Association belatedly reported that $300,000 in state money disappeared in 2024 through a fraudulent bank transfer.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
Gasperini belatedly wanted to talk about beating Lecce in the absence of his first-choice defence and of club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini in midfield.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Credit to the administration for realizing – belatedly – that blindly putting tariffs on food that cannot grow here was bad policy, but there needs to be a deeper rollback.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
There’s a pleasing sense of closure in knowing the trio’s creative woes were belatedly resolved.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2025
Barkov deserves, belatedly, finally, a place of highest stature in South Florida sports history as the Panthers’ equal of Dolphins great Dan Marino and Heat icon Dwyane Wade.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Colleges are belatedly realizing how important that kind of data is to students and their families, said Lee Roberts, chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill, in an interview.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
At the time, the West seemed like a dreamscape, a vision of the future to which my region was belatedly trying to catch up.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The audit was ordered last year after the Blue Hills Civic Association belatedly reported that $300,000 in state money disappeared in 2024 through a fraudulent bank transfer.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
Gasperini belatedly wanted to talk about beating Lecce in the absence of his first-choice defence and of club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini in midfield.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Credit to the administration for realizing – belatedly – that blindly putting tariffs on food that cannot grow here was bad policy, but there needs to be a deeper rollback.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
There’s a pleasing sense of closure in knowing the trio’s creative woes were belatedly resolved.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2025
Barkov deserves, belatedly, finally, a place of highest stature in South Florida sports history as the Panthers’ equal of Dolphins great Dan Marino and Heat icon Dwyane Wade.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Colleges are belatedly realizing how important that kind of data is to students and their families, said Lee Roberts, chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill, in an interview.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
At the time, the West seemed like a dreamscape, a vision of the future to which my region was belatedly trying to catch up.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belatedly
Adverb
-
As Ecklund later learned, the sign was a reference to a once-obscure federal statute, 18 US Code 111, that has become a key tool used by immigration agents to detain American citizens.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Sierra Leone's president initially agreed to an interview but later did not respond to requests for comment.—
ED DAVEY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The ex-husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, who has been accused of killing his wife late last year, pleaded not guilty in the case during a virtual court appearance on Tuesday.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Arrive late and, barring a traffic accident, you’re disqualified.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Doug and Big Jane eventually retired down in San Antonio, close to their boys.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Initially unsure about whether to take the plunge, Gibson eventually decided to dedicate the rest of the year to earning Olympic qualification.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
As the crisis drags on, life is slowly grinding to a halt across this island of nearly 10 million people.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Scientists believe the geology of Mars may hold valuable clues about past ancient life, and so the robotic vehicles, controlled remotely from Earth, have slowly navigated the rocky terrain to scoop up and collect intriguing samples.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belatedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belatedly. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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