late 1 of 2

Definition of latenext
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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

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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
Officials said the gun violence took place from May 2025 to late April 2026 in a swath of the South Bronx. Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 June 2026 But the location of his grave was lost once British troops retook the city in late 1778 and occupied it through the war’s end, camping in the cemetery. Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 30 June 2026
Adverb
Two people were killed and another 20 people were injured when a coach bus carrying passengers crashed into other vehicles and flipped over a median into oncoming traffic late the night of June 29, authorities in New York said. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 June 2026 The brands getting this right are the ones investing in the alignment work early, not the approval process late. Jordan P. Kelley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for late
Recent Examples of Synonyms for late
Adjective
  • The impact is already being felt across various regions, from a delayed start to the Indian monsoon to a temporary halt to Peru’s fishing season.
    Bloomberg, Fortune, 21 June 2026
  • That meant a delayed return to full activities.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • Illapa Sairitupac, Democratic New York State assembly candidate, from left, Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, and Brad Lander, former New York City comptroller and US Democratic House candidate for New York, campaign during a primary election in New York, US, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
    Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 June 2026
  • Cendejas is a partner at the Strategy Group and has worked with several notable winning political campaigns, including San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Wahab’s first run for Senate against former Fremont Mayor Lily Mei in 2022.
    Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • Jackass Forever was dedicated to Dunn and concluded with a moving tribute to their fallen comrade.
    Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026
  • Hudspeth and other volunteers took over the cleanup by picking up leaves and fallen branches and cleaning broken and toppled headstones.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • The executive order directed the federal government to shore up key cyber defenses and establish a mechanism for testing the most advanced AI models for safety issues.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • The rapid integration of AI into healthcare is fueling a massive demand for advanced computing hardware like GPUs.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
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.
    Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • 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.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Adverb
  • Unfortunately, there are several instances of bettors harassing players lately.
    Geoff Clark OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
  • He’s been working at an insane clip lately, with this marking his sixth film of the 2020s.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • The closer and title track serve as a belated mission statement, at once tonally busy and capaciously arranged, as if to make the frequency spectrum itself a character in the songs.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 12 June 2026
  • The journey proves a belated act of self-discovery.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • The infant, who is 9 months old, was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told Fox News Digital.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • While students honed their skills at the Santa Monica studio for the last year and four months, Blanck found an old pilates studio in Pacific Highlands for rent, but the numbers just didn't add up.
    Rina Nakano, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Cite this Entry

“Late.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/late. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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