belated
Americanadjective
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coming or being after the customary, useful, or expected time.
belated birthday greetings.
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late, delayed, or detained.
We started the meeting without the belated representative.
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Archaic. obsolete; old-fashioned; out-of-date.
a belated view of world politics.
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Archaic. overtaken by darkness or night.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of belated
First recorded in 1610–20; belate “to delay” ( be- + late ) + -ed 2
Explanation
Something belated comes after the fact. If you are late to deliver a birthday greeting, then make it a "happy belated birthday" card. Belated Christmas gifts come after December 25. Belated birthday greetings are still sweet, but a belated New Year's Eve party? Sort of pointless. Belated can refer to less effective actions when used in more significant settings — consider "a belated push to secure tax breaks for the working poor" or "a belated apology for indiscretions committed during the senator's scandalous college years."
Vocabulary lists containing belated
Dear Martin
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Piecing Me Together
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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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.
"Belated fixes cannot undo this harm. We must hold Big Tech accountable for giving abusers the power to victimize women and girls at the click of a button," Ahmed said.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
Belated interest is typical from New Zealanders with non-men’s rugby events, said University of Auckland sport and sports media professor Toni Bruce.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 18, 2023
Belated countermoves to cut off the North’s funding spigots are getting underway.
From Washington Times • Feb. 10, 2023
Belated diagnoses of dementia are too common, according to Dr. Melissa Henston, a geriatric psychologist in Denver who administers cognitive exams that can confirm impairment.
From Salon • Jul. 1, 2018
Belated lorries rumbled about their business: cars panted and raved into the night: carts jolted out of turnings into the great main road.
From Jonah and Co. by Yates, Dornford
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
