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• Better late than never
  Better late than never

  It is better to do something after it was supposed to have been done than not to do it at all.
• better late than never
  better late than never

  Being tardy is better than not at all, as in We've been waiting for you for an hour—but better late than never. This phrase, first recorded about 1200, appears in several early English proverb collections, often with the added but better never late. Today it is often used in exasperation over a delay, as in the example.

Better late than never

Cultural  

1. It is better to do something after it was supposed to have been done than not to do it at all.

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better late than never Idioms  

1. Being tardy is better than not at all, as in We've been waiting for you for an hour—but better late than never. This phrase, first recorded about 1200, appears in several early English proverb collections, often with the added but better never late. Today it is often used in exasperation over a delay, as in the example.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Better late than never better late than never

Better late than never: A long-delayed report on sales at U.S. retailers in November signaled the holiday shopping season got off to a good start.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 14, 2026

Better late than never, Cadillac is taking steps to improve the home-charging experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026

Better late than never, the film inspired a much-deserved Rodriguez revival.

From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023

Better late than never, particularly because it includes a nod to his First Nations heritage.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 24, 2023

"Looks like you're finally behaving. Better late than never."

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

We are arriving late at this realization, but better late than never.

From Barron's ● Feb. 2, 2026

They’ve got a group that is slowly finding itself, better late than never, finishing the game by stopping the Bruins on a fourth-and-one failed quarterback sneak by Ethan Garbers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2024

It’s better late than never, but it’s well and truly time to cut X loose.

From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2024

It was better late than never for spoon-bending performer Uri Geller.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2024

“I should have done this a month ago. The canes bleed if they’re pruned this late, but better late than never, as they say.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt