late
Americanadjective
-
later,
comparative
-
last,
superlative
-
latest
superlative
-
occurring, coming, or being after the usual or proper time: a late spring.
late frosts;
a late spring.
-
continued until after the usual time or hour; protracted.
a late business meeting.
-
near or at the end of day or well into the night.
a late hour.
-
belonging to the time just before the present moment; most recent.
a late news bulletin;
The car is a late model, but I don't know the exact year.
-
immediately preceding the present one; former.
the late attorney general.
-
recently deceased.
the late Mr. Phipps.
-
occurring at an advanced stage in life.
a late marriage.
-
belonging to an advanced period or stage in the history or development of something.
the late phase of feudalism.
adverb
-
after the usual or proper time, or after delay.
to arrive late.
-
until after the usual time or hour; until an advanced hour, especially of the night.
to work late.
-
at or to an advanced time, period, or stage.
The flowers keep their blossoms late in warm climates.
-
recently but no longer.
a man late of Chicago, now living in Philadelphia.
idioms
adjective
-
occurring or arriving after the correct or expected time
the train was late
-
(prenominal) occurring, scheduled for, or being at a relatively advanced time
a late marriage
-
(prenominal) towards or near the end
the late evening
-
at an advanced time in the evening or at night
it was late
-
(prenominal) occurring or being just previous to the present time
his late remarks on industry
-
(prenominal) having died, esp recently
my late grandfather
-
(prenominal) just preceding the present or existing person or thing; former
the late manager of this firm
-
recently; lately
adverb
-
after the correct or expected time
he arrived late
-
at a relatively advanced age
she married late
-
recently; lately
as late as yesterday he was selling books
-
rising and going to bed later than is usual
-
-
at a late or advanced stage
-
too late
-
Usage
Since late can mean deceased, many people think it is better to avoid using this word to refer to the person who held a post or position before its present holder: the previous (not the late ) editor of The Times
Synonym Usage
See modern.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of late
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English læt “slow, late”; cognate with German lass “slothful,” Old Norse latr, Gothic lats “slow, lazy,” Latin lassus “tired”
Explanation
Late means after the expected time, or at the end of a certain period of time. if you're late for a movie, you get to the theater after the film's already started. If you're a late sleeper, you make a habit of dozing long after your alarm goes off. When you're late, you're not on time. You might also be in your late twenties, which means you're at the end of that decade of your life — closer to 30 than to 20. If your friend calls and says, "Sorry I'm calling so late," she means late at night, at the very end of the day. And if you refer to someone as "the late Mr. Smith," it's a formal way of saying Mr. Smith is dead.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It dropped below the $4,000-an-ounce mark in late October, as soaring energy costs linked to the conflict raised expectations of further interest-rate hikes this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Although the star has fascinated astronomers for generations, it attracted worldwide attention in late 2019 and early 2020 when its brightness unexpectedly plunged to its lowest recorded level in more than 100 years.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Former president Barack Obama rallied for Bottoms in Georgia in late October.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
Paris Jackson, daughter of late pop icon Michael Jackson, seeks more than half a million dollars in a preliminary transfer from her father’s estate to a trust for his three children.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
His late husband had been an instructor at Sunridge.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Imports of Russian LNG are set to be halted completely by Jan. 1, with remaining pipeline gas imports ending no later than Nov. 1, 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Meanwhile, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds will meet with Gordon Brothers later this week after he and Prime Minister Andy Burnham questioned why a solvent deal had not been made.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
That disturbance could have helped trigger the enormous release of material that later formed dust and obscured part of the star's light.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
His victory speech, which will come later tonight, will be studied by pundits seeking to divine his intentions.
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2026
Sooner or later we knew we were going to have to start hiding people here in the city.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
E-mini Nasdaq futures were last down 0.4% after slumping over 2% earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
That figure exploded to nearly $300 million in city payouts last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Talarico, a former schoolteacher, was a little-known figure until last year.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Before these therapies become routine options for common conditions, researchers will need convincing evidence that their benefits last, their risks remain acceptably low over many years, and their costs are manageable.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Calvin sounds as defeated as I’ve been the last few years.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Find insight on gold, Rio Tinto, Air Liquide, palm oil prices and more in the latest Market Talks covering basic materials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
It is understood the latest problem at the maternity hospital has been caused by chemical flushing aimed at dealing with the original issue of bacteria in the water system.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
The latest measurements also help scientists understand how Betelgeuse has changed since its extraordinary fading episode.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
"The latest statement uses the issue as an opportunity to condemn the entire US policy of pressure against North Korea, marking a shift from defence to offence," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
It was just what the evening had promised—a very public demonstration of the latest scientific developments.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
