MEANING
Coming or arriving later than expected, appropriate, or useful.
Use it for
Describe a response or event that comes too late.Use delay to make a gesture or warning feel ineffective or bittersweet.
Words that belong together
- belated apology
- belated recognition
- belated warning
On the page
His belated apology reached the family after the house had been sold.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- belated
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Usage notes
Belated emphasizes that something is late relative to a moment when it would have mattered more.
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