Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for latecomer. Search instead for latecomers.
Synonyms

latecomer

American  
[leyt-kuhm-er] / ˈleɪtˌkʌm ər /

noun

  1. a person who arrives late.

    The latecomers were seated after the overture.


latecomer British  
/ ˈleɪtˌkʌmə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that comes late

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of latecomer

First recorded in 1865–70; late + comer

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.

Apple would be a latecomer to the world of foldable phones — with Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan noting that Samsung and Huawei both released foldable smartphones in 2019.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

McCullum is a latecomer to this England-India T20 trilogy, but another icon of the modern game will again hope to be front and centre.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Rep. Wesley Hunt, a latecomer to the race who was an early backer of Trump in 2024, earned 13.5% of the vote and will not advance to the run-off.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

In truth, America was a latecomer to the conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

The sound of my shoes tapping across the cobblestones echoed down the street like a latecomer sneaking into church.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "latecomer" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com