late 1 of 2

1
2
as in former
having been such at some previous time the late musical director said he would never have allowed such behavior while he was in charge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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late

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective late contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of late are dead, deceased, defunct, and departed. While all these words mean "devoid of life," late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

In what contexts can dead take the place of late?

In some situations, the words dead and late are roughly equivalent. However, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How is deceased related to other words for late?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is defunct a more appropriate choice than late?

The synonyms defunct and late are sometimes interchangeable, but defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

When could departed be used to replace late?

Although the words departed and late have much in common, departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

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 late
Adjective
Neeson shares Daniel and his older brother Micheál, 30, with his late wife, Natasha Richardson, who died in 2009, following a skiing accident in Canada. Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025 In this latest wave, a new kind of influencer wants to wage race wars, topple modern democracies, share assassination techniques, and replace society with all-white ethno-states. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Adverb
Silva retired as county counsel late last month after a last-minute performance evaluation by county supervisors. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025 Under the buzz of neon lights and cluttered walls and ceilings of The Owl Bar, bartender Cassandra Dutra spends many of her nights catering to the familiar faces crowding her counter, often losing track of the number of rounds the regulars have bought each other as the hours grow late. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for late
Recent Examples of Synonyms for late
Adjective
  • On social media, Michaels also spoke about rampant speculation surrounding her relationship with former costar Harper.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Ultimately, Miami agreed to a sign-and-trade with Detroit and decided that paying former Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio $8.3 million to play for the Heat was smarter than paying Robinson $9.9 million not to play for the Heat – and then needing to spend additional money to sign his replacement.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition, leading experts and Turing Award winners from the West and China share concerns that advanced general-purpose AI systems may come to operate outside of human control, posing catastrophic and existential risks.
    Brian Tse, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Negotiations were very advanced in Williams’ case, but talks fell apart at the very last minute due to the Athletic Club player’s concerns about Barca’s capacity to actually register him.
    Pol Ballús, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • Make sure to get the matcha and granola bowl and a cold brew mixed with orange juice and thank me later.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Police now say the teen is the same person whom police questioned and later released in connection with the killing of a woman who was walking with a child to a JCPS bus stop Aug. 13.
    Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • The same tactic allowed Dodgers relievers, who’d been combustible lately, to close it out.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Inefficiency has been a constant problem for Kikuchi lately.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Scrambling to recall a few staff and issue some belated funding is just window dressing.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Please accept our belated apology.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Today, Khamenei ranks among the world’s oldest and longest-serving heads of state.
    Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
  • The most recent bill targets the nation's oldest and largest teachers' union's ability to lobby.
    Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Three people are dead and nine others are injured after multiple shooters opened fire in a mass shooting at a New York City club, according to the New York City Police Department.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
  • As a result, three occupants of the minivan involved in the crash are dead, FLHSMV said in a press release.
    Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • After Meredith’s murder, Amanda and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito (Giuseppe De Domenico), are early suspects and eventually convicted.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
  • For The Union-Tribune Human activities like coal burning and gold mining can cause mercury pollution in the air, which eventually settles into water, where it is absorbed into the food chain and results in the risk of mercury poisoning in apex predators like bluefin tuna — and people who eat tuna.
    Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Late.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/late. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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