lately

American  

[leyt-lee] / ˈleɪt li /

adverb

1. of late; recently; not long since.

   He has been very grouchy lately.

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lately British  

/ ˈleɪtlɪ /

adverb

1. in recent times; of late

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Etymology

Origin of lately

before 1000; Middle English latli; Old English lætlīce; see late, -ly

Explanation

Something that happened lately occurred very recently. If you've spotted a fox every day for the last week, you might say, "I've seen so many foxes lately!" If your friend says, "I've been really stressed out lately," she means she's been overworked and tense for the past few days, weeks, or possibly months. Lately is an adverb that covers the immediate past, a period of time that wasn't too long ago. A more old-fashioned way to say lately is "of late." Though this word has had its current meaning since the fifteenth century, it originally meant "slow or sluggish."

Example Sentences

Space stocks have been on fire lately, ahead of SpaceX’s record-setting IPO, which is expected to price this coming week, valuing Elon Musk’s rocket company at about $1.8 trillion.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Whether it’s the better results, or a shift in mindset, Sasaki has, indeed, seemed to carry himself with a touch more swagger lately.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The bond-market narrative lately has been focused on “growth and labor-market re-acceleration,” said Garrett Melson, portfolio strategist at Natixis Investment Managers Solutions.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Critics of de la Espriella have also come down hard on him for what they say is boorish behavior, lately with women journalists.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

It’s the first time he’s acknowledged that he’s noticed I’ve been miserable lately.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler