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
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 belatedly
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
Elias belatedly acknowledged the Orioles’ need in that area last offseason by signing Alonso, Bassitt and closer Ryan Helsley and trading for outfielder Taylor Ward.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
18 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
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
But apparently OpenAI has belatedly figured out which way the wind is blowing.
—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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
Elias belatedly acknowledged the Orioles’ need in that area last offseason by signing Alonso, Bassitt and closer Ryan Helsley and trading for outfielder Taylor Ward.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
18 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
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
But apparently OpenAI has belatedly figured out which way the wind is blowing.
—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belatedly
Adverb
-
According to the release, the treat started as East Tennessee McDonald's Owner/Operator Litton Cochran's family recipe, which later gained popularity locally before catching on nationally.
-
Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building.
Adverb
-
Tracy had approached the team about a contract extension late in the 2005 season, a bold request considering the team’s record.
-
An 18-year-old man was killed in a shooting late Tuesday night in Pittsburgh's East Hills neighborhood.
Adverb
-
Panama's Cristian Martínez managed to save the ball from going out of bounds with a slide at the corner in a play that eventually reached Michael Murillo.
-
Arraez fouled a pitch off his right foot in the first inning, and after a third-inning single, he eventually got replaced in the fifth inning as Casey Schmitt moved from left field to second base.
Adverb
-
Results arrive slowly, so patience matters more than most people expect.
-
Production will need to be restarted – slowly, over several weeks – to ensure crude reservoirs don’t collapse, requiring re-drilling and substantial repairs.
Cite this Entry
“Belatedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belatedly. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
