belatedly

American  

[bih-ley-tid-lee] / bɪˈleɪ tɪd li /

adverb

1. after the customary, useful, or expected time.

   If a law shouldn't have been passed in the first place, it's no crime to belatedly reverse it.

   I received your letter last month, and I wanted to thank you, even if belatedly.

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Etymology

Origin of belatedly

belated ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

belatedly

Bernie Moreno, albeit belatedly, reacted to Miller’s behavior by defending his daughter, telling reporters he sent her, his granddaughter and his wife to a “secure place” out of state for their own safety.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

Even when the visitors belatedly began to play, with Fin Smith and Ben Earl making yards and Jack van Poortvliet landing a daring offload, they couldn't make it stick on the scoreboard.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

The U.S. belatedly created such a zone for the Kurds in Iraq’s north in 1991.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric model, the Luce, belatedly joining rivals like Porsche and Lamborghini to offer clean-energy driving thrills.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

“Ollie's not really a friend, Papa. He's just—” I realize, belatedly, that any way I qualify the statement will only bring suspicion.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• slowly