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 obsolete; old-fashioned; out-of-date.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.
The group attributed the belated increase to increased demand for cocoa powder and some customers "replenishing their stocks".
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Delta greeted me on the seat back screen: “Happy belated birthday, Brenda! We hope you had the best time celebrating your birthday!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Part-time spinner Jacob Bethell bowled before Archer, whose belated introduction was explained by a need to rest after bowling an eight-over spell on the first evening.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
He led a pair of superior Rachmaninoff programs in his belated debut at the Hollywood Bowl last summer shortly after one of Dudamel’s greatest Bowl performances ever, yet so won over the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
I talked straight through the night, and he silently took my confes sions, maledictions, as though he were some font of blessing at which I might leave a final belated tithe.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
