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 obsolete; old-fashioned; out-of-date.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.
Their discomfort now is real, but it is also belated and partial.
From Salon • May 5, 2026
“When writing belated wedding thank-you cards, be sure to focus your message on how much you appreciate the thoughtfulness of their gift and their presence at your celebration,” the Knot adds.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Their grief and fury set in motion the countervailing force of justice that, no matter how belated, cannot be denied.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
The Indian government’s decision to upgrade its fighter jet fleet may signal its belated recognition of the scale of the threats it faces.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
This was my belated Christmas gift to Nana, and one that she wouldn’t need to remember to appreciate.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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.
