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 Haaland, 25, belatedly responded to the actor after Holland, 30, revealed during a July 13 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that the soccer star ignored his Instagram DM. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026 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 Willis, who still performs periodically, is preparing to belatedly release his first solo album. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 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 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’s when Hilton renewed his earlier calls for Bianco to belatedly drop out of the race. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 9 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 The Digest Feminist, self-taught, and belatedly recognized French artist Raymonde Arcier has died at 86. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belatedly
  1. later
  2. late
  3. eventually
  4. slowly
Adverb
  • And shorting — borrowing a stock to sell it high in the hopes of repurchasing it at a cheaper price later and pocketing the proceeds — is having a bit of a renaissance.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • The man originally did not take responsibility, but the Sheriff’s Office later identified his vehicle using Flock camera footage and video from a homeowner’s private camera.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026
Definition of later
Adverb
  • That need has helped to push the Nats to join the Miami Marlins, who started to employ the tactic in the majors late last season, and the Rockies, who hired the Marlins’ assistant pitching coach this winter.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • With the clock ticking down on the final minutes of the game, the Baoding team was unable to stop the offensive push that placed the home team into a 1-0 lead late in the second half.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of late
Adverb
  • The Philippine ships eventually canceled their mission on Friday and headed back to port, citing a developing typhoon in the region.
    — Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Hermes pleaded not guilty in those cases, which were eventually consolidated into one.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
Definition of eventually
Adverb
  • Things slowly improved as drummers were encouraged at Arrowhead, but even a big turnout of 20,000 fans looked tiny in a stadium that could seat four times that number.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • Sensing that her slowly closing window was about to slam all the way shut, our entrepreneurial acquaintance flashed her best smile and hopped out to complete whatever errand had brought her there in the first place.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 23 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 25 Jul. 2026.

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