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

See Examples For:

lately

I’m currently in a corporate leadership role, and lately I’ve been seriously considering leaving it behind to do something completely different — maybe even becoming an administrative assistant.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

It’s been feeling practically biblical around here lately — and it’s not the feeling of holiness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Near Kitakami station, Noriyuki Takahashi, a 47-year-old recruiter, said work has been busy lately thanks to Kioxia.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

But lately, I’ve been thinking about something: Everybody wants to romanticize the pantry.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

I’ve been talking with my dad’s side of the family a lot lately.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day